Old Ficlets Collaborate
by Lady Lemonade
Summary: Rating vary. A collection of either old incomplete fanfics, or oneshots never posted. Varies from cute, happy, sad, funny, or downright stupidpointless. It's all for fun though! Namely contains koukuya shounenai, but not entirely!
1. Alien

**Introduction**: Hello! And welcome to 'Old Ficlets'! It's an assortment of old fics that were never finished, or were strange one-shots never posted. Some of them are REALLY old so the writing sucks! At the start of each chapter there's the title, the year it was written, and a rough-guess of what the rating was supposed to be! It's meant entirely if you're bored. -Nods- Also, not all of them are Koukuya/Takouji shounen-ai, but most are so you've been warned!  
**Ratings**: Vary

**Disclaimer**: Broke, and own nadda. Do not own Digimon, do not own that centaur who lives down the street…

* * *

**Original Title**: Alien **Written**: In 2003 **Rating**: PG 

"I'm sorry..." A girl around thirteen mumbled, her head bowed allowing her brownish-blonde hair to work as a curtain to cover her eyes.

"Sorry doesn't fix the damage you've done!" A man growled, his eyes ablaze. "So you know what this means?" The man asked, his eyes burning into the girls hidden ones.

"N-no s-sir..." The girl stuttered, frightened of what she may have to do to repay the man,

"Well then I'll TELL you. Go to Earth and find me a human, any kind. Specifically though, I want a teenage male..." The man continued, licking his lips. The girl looked up a little, slightly surprised all she had to do was find a human and bring it to the man.

"And I'll be forgiven?" She asked uncertainly.

"Yes, I need a human to help keep morons like you away from my merchandise! Now, go and get me a human you little bitch!" The man spat, and smacked the girls face knocking her to the ground. She sniffled, and got up.

"Ye-yes sir." She said meekly, and tore off to find a portal that led to Earth...

* * *

The girl walked along the streets of Japan, standing out like a sore thumb. She had sad green eyes, brownish-blonde hair that was at her shoulders, a very large, well-worn white loose T-shirt, and baggy jeans at least five sizes too large, held up by a rope. 

She looked around miserably. "How am I supposed to know what that man wants? A timid one, a dangerous one, what?" She asked quietly, and heaved a heavy sigh. "I hate it when I come here..." She murmured.

"Oh, you can't mean that." A voice said behind her. She jumped at least three feet in the air and whirled around to see a 16-year old boy with short brown air and reddish-brown eyes. He had on a yellow shirt, with a red jacket over it, and brown Capri's.

"M-mean what?" She stammered, backing up a bit.

"You can't mean you hate it when you come here! This place is great!" The teenage boy chirped, grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh, I-I didn't mean that this place is bad, I j-just don't l-like places I g-get lost in." She stammered. 'Oh, it's a human. What do I do? Uhm...uh...oh dear...' She thought, having a sinking feeling this was going to be much harder than getting a beaten.

"Well if you need help finding your way around, I'll help you!" The boy said, giving her a warm smile.

"T-that'd be great." The girl stuttered, looking down a little.

"I'm Takuya, and you are...?" The boy asked, tilting his head to look her in the eyes. She giggled; Takuya looked funny tilting his head like that. The boy smirked. "Aha! Got you to smile!" He cheered victoriously.

"Teehee! I'm Neko." The girl giggled, and started laughing at Takuya's puzzled expression.

"Neko? As in cat?" Takuya asked, confused. Neko began laughing harder, tears coming out of her eyes. 'Humans are such funny little things!' She thought gleefully.

"Yah, weird name hmm?" Neko asked, soon as her laughter died down.

"Most certainly is." Takuya said, scratching the back of his head, still not sure why her name was Neko.

"Are you going to help me find my way or what?" Neko asked brightly, smiling. 'Oh wow, after I take care of business with that guy, I should come here and talk with this human.' Neko thought happily, and then stopped smiling. 'But in order to take care of that business, wouldn't I have to take this Takuya TO that man? Oh, this makes my head hurt!' Neko thought and scowled. Takuya peered curiously at the divided girl.

"Are you okay?" Takuya asked as he watched her face screw up with anger, then she smiled gently at him.

"Just fine, I was just remembering an awful memory." Neko apologized; Takuya nodded his head, still unsure if that was the case.

"If you say so. So, where is it you're headed to?" Takuya asked. Neko shrugged her shoulders.

"Not really sure. I just got here, and I'm not really sure what to do." Neko smiled innocently as Takuya fell anime-style.

"Gah..." Takuya sighed and got back up and started to dust himself off. "Well, lets go find you a place to stay then okay?" Takuya asked and Neko nodded her head all-too eagerly.

* * *

"That girl better bring me a human..." The man growled, and slammed his fist on the table. A woman looked at him with ice blue eyes and laughed a little. 

"She will...she will..." The woman chuckled. She ran long, clawed hands through her silvery blue hair and her eyes soon averted to the man standing up. "Calm yourself Shina." The woman ordered, and the man immediately sat down.

"Fine..." He mumbled. The woman narrowed her eyes. 'All I can do is hope the girl will bring one of the Chosen...' The woman thought.

* * *

"Oh wow, Taku-chan check this out!" Neko said, dragging Takuya over to a store filled with manga's and several kinds of Anime. 

"Yah, neat isn't it?" Takuya asked, grinning at his new friends enthusiasm she seemed to have gained in less than ten minutes.

"Wow, it's so prettiful..." Neko breathed, amazed at all of the different types of things held in one store.

"Glad to see you like it. Now, we've been browsing through shops for the past two hours, how about we go over to my friend Kouji's?" Takuya suggested. Yet again, Neko nodded her head eagerly.

"Yah! I want to meet your girlfriend!" Neko said brightly, and what she said caused Takuya to turn red.

"Kouji is a he, and we're not an item, he's just my friend..." Takuya mumbled. Neko blinked.

"Oh, I thought when someone talked about another person like you did about Kouji that the two were an item. You seem like you like Kouji so I guessed..." Neko trailed, and Takuya shook his head no very quickly.

"Ah, uhm, usually, but not this case." Takuya laughed nervously and Neko smiled.

"Oh, okay!" She said. "Now, off to Kouji's!" She cheered, and followed Takuya over to Kouji's.


	2. Crimson Knives 1

**Notes**: This is actually the younger sibling of 'Gardens at Eve'. Mind you, 'GaE' was far better than it's rather unusual sibling you see here. Also, you'll notice I'm talking to Kouji and Takuya at random intervals in this... (HP-me). Never actually planned on posting it, so there didn't seem to be any harm in it... now I'm just too lazy to go through and remove them har har.

* * *

**Title**: Crimson Knives **Written**: Summer of 2004 **Rating**: T or M 

One year. One year, and they'd both be the happiest men in the entire world. One year. A seventeen-year old male with a black ponytail placed lowly on his head, was scribbling down a few things they needed to prepare for their wedding. He wore no shirt, and had on loose fitting jeans with a slight hint of navy blue boxers beneath. As he moved, a small aquamarine-colored earring on his right ear glinted in the morning's sunlight. Serene blue eyes concentrated hard on what he was doing, as everything had to be just right. Yes, this was Kouji Minamoto, soon to be Kouji Minamoto Kanbara. Or would it be Kouji Kanbara Minamoto? That minor detail could be handled later, anyway he shook the slightly confusing thought away, and he tried to recall where he left off.

"The food!" His lover called from the other room, he too getting ready. Kouji found himself sweat-dropping, wondering when the other never thought about that particular subject. Rubbing his temples, realizing he'd never get any of this done, Kouji stood up and was around 5'7" ((Kouji: HEY!; HP: What?)) and proceeded to stretch from having sat down too long.

"Yes, we already have someone taking care of that you baka." Kouji replied back with a wry grin. Sometimes… Turning around to look outside, Kouji felt something – or rather some_one_ jump onto his back. "Oi!" He scowled and turned to see a brunette grin at him with reddish-brown eyes. Although the other was the exact same height, it was still a morning ritual to glomp the other. "Takuya…" He sighed and tried to pry his rather stubborn lover off, but to no avail. The brunette clung tighter until eventually Kouji gave up altogether.

"Come on, claim to be sick and let's spend the day together!" Takuya cried and nuzzled Kouji's ribs. "Hmm?"

"Iie. Baka, off!" Kouji growled and after ten more minutes of arguing, he finally managed to escape the deadly grasping of Takuya. The brunette pouted and grabbed a red shirt, seeing as he too didn't have one on, and was only wearing black capris, and no unfortunately for all the fangirls it was unknown what color his boxers were or if he was even wearing any. ((Takuya: o0 ;HP: What?)) The two boys had first met when they were two-years old, and didn't become friends until they were five. Had it not been for the fact Takuya was an annoying, outgoing, and basically unavoidable person (not to mention adorable) after three years Kouji finally caved in. When they were eight it was known that they were two of the best friends you could find.

They knew they were best friends when Kouji's step-mom forced him to get one ear-pierced (hell for any boy that age) and Takuya said he liked it. Made Kouji look 'cool'. The black-haired boy only raised a brow at him, but secretly smiled and of course Takuya saw that. Then, when they were thirteen for Kouji's birthday he was given an aquamarine earring from Takuya, and was slightly curious as to why. You see, up until then all they really did to get each other a present each year was a card that plainly said, "Happy Birthday!" Or once in Takuya's case "Happy New Year!" but we're not getting into that. In the end Kouji found out Takuya liked him in _that_ way, and a few months later they got together. Why? Because damnit Kouji liked him like that too! Last year, when they were sixteen they accidentally got drunk and… yah. So, now at seventeen they were lovers, and soon to be husband and husband. ((HP: Heheh, don't see that everyday. Pro-gay marriage!))

"Kouji!" Takuya whined as the other man began to get ready.

"Takuya!" Kouji mock-whined the other and smirked at the glare he received.

"Hey, no orgasms this early." Kouichi called from the living room and they both sweat-dropped.

"Want to join us Kouichi? You really must, you haven't experienced anything until you-" Kouji began but Takuya whapped him over the head.

"Don't ask him, first we must get him drunk…" Takuya started and Kouichi walked into their room and threw a pillow at him.

"I mean no offense, but personally I'd rather stay **out** of your sex life. Both of you. Now will you stop it and get ready? We're going to be late!" Kouichi scowled at them.

"Alright, I'll tell you how Takuya is when-OWW!" Kouji yelped when he got kicked rather hard.

"I said we get him drunk first so he doesn't remember a thing of what you have said!" Takuya threatened. Kouichi rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air. He had on khaki's with a plain blue shirt, and his hair was still shoulder length and held a slight purplish tint to it, and had the same blue eyes as Kouji. Yes, they were truly twins, with such different personalities.

"Fine fine fine…" Kouji chuckled and finally got done getting ready. Within thirty minutes the twins were gone leaving Takuya home alone.

"Why does he get to work today?" Takuya muttered and sulked away to the phone. He was off today, while Kouji had to work. It just wasn't fair!

* * *

"Okay Kouji, lets see how your life is currently going. You live with Takuya by yourselves in the middle of nowhere, with no car and no computer (how can you live without it by the way?). You're getting married in a year. Have you ever thought you're… moving too fast?" Kouichi asked, and got his answer right away when Kouji glared death daggers at him. "Eheh… just asking…" 

"You'll understand one day when you meet the right man." Kouji said and patted Kouichi on the head.

"Who said it was going to be a man?" Kouichi asked.

"No one, but I'm used to saying it." Kouji grinned, as in referring to Izumi. In the past few years, she's been having nothing but men trouble, and for unknown reasons always turned to Kouji. Junpei when they were younger, had always tried to show her they were meant to be but… she won't listen. She still won't listen. It was driving everyone quite literally mad. Junpei went to Tomoki for help, but the young boy was too busy with high school to really pay much attention…

"Hmm… the right man… so that means it's all good if it's Takuya?"

"No, if it was you'd be murdered in horrifying ways, but first I'll be sure to torture you so bad you'll regret every last thing in your entire being." Kouji replied in such a calm manner it was kinda freaky…

"Well, that's reassuring. Thanks for the heads up." Kouichi said with a smile.

"Anytime bro." Kouji nodded his head, and along the drive they continued having other rather weird conversations. Ah, the wonders of brotherhood. No, by the way they did not make out you Koukou hopefuls.

"I heard you're getting a new neighbor." Kouichi said suddenly. Kouji glanced at him, and then shrugged.

"Yah, some old hag obsessed with cats. The bright side though is that we won't have to worry about mice." Kouji sighed, and then glanced at Kouichi. "How'd you find out about that?"

"Oh, I met her grandson. Hope she's more polite than he was, cause I've never met a jerk in my entire life!" The twin explained, and jumped when seeing in the rearview mirror his hair wasn't combed. "Ah, lovely. Kouji, care to do the honors?"

"Yes, but first you must join me and Takuya in the heats of passion."

"Oh brother, I love you and Takuya dearly, but not enough to get close enough to your boyfriend to have you massacre me. Can I give you ten yen instead?"

"Fine, be a cheapskate." Kouji growled, though his smile gave way he was only joking, and grabbed the brush and fixed his twins hair. "Keep your yen, I don't want anything to do with you now." He huffed.

"Oh, so I suppose you'd like me to stop the car and kick you out then?" The younger of the two asked. ((HP: What? I think Kouji was born first, so NYAH!))

"No, you do that it'd be worse than if you had accepted my proposition." The other glared.

"Heh. Ahh… Toei Animation… what do you do there?" Kouichi queried and Kouji just shrugged.

"I'm a secretary… basically make sure the place doesn't fall apart from disorganization." He answered and tightened his ponytail. "Ja."

"Ja ne." And with that, Kouichi drove away.

* * *

…Five weeks later… 

A shrill, loud scream echoed through the night causing Takuya to sit upright in bed. His eyes darted around, panic sweeping around him. Tossing off the bed covers, he grabbed a jacket and ran outside to the source of the sound. He came up to their neighbor's house, where the scream originated and knocked on the door.

"Mrs. Iwata!" He called knocking harder. Suddenly it flew open nearly hitting him and the old woman scrambled out and clung to him, weeping. She had wispy dull, gray hair pulled in a tight bun, and wore an old satin nightgown with many frills and laces.

"My… my cats-!" She cried. "He killed them all! Oh, that wretched boy shall pay for such a deed!" She hissed. Takuya looked down at her, not quite understanding anything.

"Someone killed your cats?" Takuya asked rather stupidly.

"Yes! Massacred them! A curse… ahah! A curse!" She cackled madly, and Takuya sighed figuring the lady had a nightmare or something. Just his luck, right when Kouji had to work late too… "Boy, did you see who it was?" She asked. Takuya frowned and looked around.

"Well, no, not really Mrs. Iwata, I heard a scream and headed on over hear cause I was worried." Takuya shrugged. Mrs. Iwata narrowed her eyes.

"I've made a plenty of noises that any generous young man would come over to see what it was that's wrong, and yet this is the first time you've shown much a concern for me!" Mrs. Iwata huffed. "Where's your partner hmm?"

"Working late." Takuya sighed then mentally added, 'You crazy old hag…'

"So that's it!" Mrs. Iwata cried joyously. Takuya blinked. "I bet he did this!"

"Who? Kouji? No no no, I'm not sure what gave you that-" He was going to continue but Mrs. Iwata cut him off.

"I bet he lied to you and said that, then came over to kill my precious kitties!" Mrs. Iwata said madly and cackled.

"What? No way, why would he do that! Besides, I know he's working late because he just called from his job…" Takuya sighed. 'Crazy. And old. And wrinkly. And a hag.'

"Because I was thinking of putting you two into my will (I thought you were such nice young men, kicking my horrible grandson off my property for me.), and knew by getting rid of my cats I'd die!" Mrs. Iwata started to weep her loss. Hey, it was better than those cackles…

"Really? I thought that you'd give all your shit to the cats but okay… and how would Kouji know that anyways!" He demanded, tiring of her blaming his koi. It was annoying, and seriously began to tick him off.

"Excuse me child, I must go in now. Though if you can prove your koi's innocence perhaps the curse shall be lifted. Good night deary…" And with this, Ms. Iwata went inside leaving Takuya standing there.

"…crazy old hag…" Takuya murmured and walked back to the house.

…In the morning

"Ughh… light… eevil… wake me up the stupid thing…" Takuya murmured. His hand groped out on the bed, searching for Kouji's sleeping form. Then he shot up from the bed, ignoring the dizzying sensation it brought. "Light? Sun? Huh?" He frantically looked around, and when he spotted the clock yelped. It read 9:53. As in, A.M. As in he just became three hours late for work. Groaning, he plopped back down again and figured he should call in sick. Getting up, Takuya sluggishly made his way to the kitchen, half expecting Kouji to be there staring at him in a mocking manner as if to say, "I can get you to stay home while you can't." But no one was there. Opening the door to their house, on the front was a note pinned from Kouichi, it read:

Next time you two take the day off, let me know first okay? Thanks.

-Kouichi

Takuya chuckled, and threw the note away, and made a mental one to call Kouichi later and apologize. Now where was Kouji?

"Kou-chan? Where are yooouu? Kou-chan! Kou-chan?" Slight panic slowly rose inside of Takuya. What if Mrs. Iwata called the police and got Kouji arrested? She could easily have said it was animal abuse and voila, there's his pony tailed koi glaring at random guilty people in a jail cell. Or innocent as that occasionally did happen. Getting slightly more suited for walking outside during the day (aka put on a white button-up shirt and shorts) the brunette ran outside over to the crazy hags house and knocked.

"Mrs. Iwata! Mrs. Iwata? MRS. IWATA!" He yelled, and for all he cared she could suffer from a fatal heart attack because of him if anything bad happened to his koi.

"Blast it, what do you want?" She growled as the door yet again flew open and she stepped out.

"Where's Kouji?" Takuya demanded, his eyes ablaze in a fiery glare. The senior rolled her eyes at him and beckoned inside. Tentively, he went in, and was amazed it didn't have old-peoples smell. Though it did reek of cats…

"Go in your basement, he should be in there." Mrs. Iwata stated calmly and sipped some coffee. Obviously she was drinking some before the brunette began banging on her door.

"And why, may I ask, would he be there of all places?" He sighed.

"The sunlight burns. The blood thee yearns. The age known naught. The misery to ye brought. That my dear, is the curse one suffers from messing with my cats." Mrs. Iwata explained. Takuya rolled his eyes at her, and she glared. "You may not believe me, but I know your partner was the one who messed with my cats. Until he suffers for his consequences, or I'm wrong and you manage to show me who did it (I still say Kouji did it) it shall be upon him." She explained. Silence. Then… the brunette burst into a fit of laughter, and the woman couldn't'' quite understand as to why.

"You seriously expect me to believe that? No, seriously where's Kouji?"

"My boy… I shall only say this once. Because I know you didn't do it, you love that boy (it's beyond me why, personally I think you deserve a lovely young woman but hey, that's me), and are determined to prove me wrong I am telling you this. That curse turns someone into something like a vampire, but not quite. Like a real one, they cannot go into the sunlight, artificial light is okay though. They live forever, but unlike a real one once the curse is lifted they age again or if they finally repaid for their sin. A stake through the heart does not mean anything to a real vampire, but to the one under the curse it means death. Alas, finally the blood. Every night, at least a mouthful of blood otherwise the one under the curse dies, pulsing blood is required to keep the body alive. Three days can be gone without, but after… though after each night the more blood is needed. Also, if you tell anyone or he does, and they believe you they'll receive a fatal curse." Mrs. Iwata said, so seriously and darkly Takuya almost believed her. Almost.

"Suuuure… and how do I even know your cats are actually dead?" He sighed. Mrs. Iwata got up, and showed him to the back door. When she opened it, he nearly gagged. Dead cats. Everywhere. Some had the fur and skin ripped clear off the bodies. Others were missing jaws and ears had been removed. All in all the scene was so disgusting, it caused Takuya to stumble backwards a little.

"…Go home. I've called a few people over to look around to see if they can find anything. If they find something on your partner, you shall see me in court soon. Good day."


	3. Crimson Knives 2

**Notes**: Aren'tcha glad this'll never be finished?

* * *

As Takuya walked inside, he felt nothing but sickness. He never was a big fan of cats but… the scene was just… In an attempt to erase those thoughts, he tossed some breakfast in the microwave and ate 'breakfast' alone. It was slightly unnerving, especially seeing how usually he was eating with someone else. Like Izumi, his brother, Kouji… speaking of his koi, was he really in the basement? 'Only one way to find out…' Takuya thought, and pushed the plate away. Slowly walking down the stairway to the basement, he tentively opened the door, and peered around in the darkness. He couldn't see a thing. So Takuya flipped on a light switch and closed the door behind him, then proceeded to look around. Nothing. He walked to a middle of the room. Nothing. Takuya yelped out when two arms suddenly wrapped around him and he turned quickly to see whom it was.

"Kouji?" Takuya whispered and raised a brow. Why did he look so… pale?

"Takuya…" Kouji whispered his name in return, and then pulled him tightly against his body. The brunette shuddered when feeling how cold and numb Kouji's skin was. "I came home and couldn't sleep." Takuya could feel the black-haired significant other shaking. "I tried and tried, but couldn't. I was going to wake you up, but as dawn approached I got so very… very… tired. I couldn't sleep in the bed, and when the sunlight beamed through the blinds… it hurt so much." Here Kouji's body released another shudder of the memory of pain. "I came down here. I don't know why…" Here he finally sighed and let go of Takuya and seemed slightly at a loss.

"Mrs. Iwata… maybe she's not so crazy…" Takuya muttered. Kouji raised a brow at him. "Or maybe… I'm assuming what she said was true and overlooking reasonable possibilities. Maybe your… sick?"

"…Yes, I'm terrifyingly ill. No Takuya, I doubt I'm sick. Maybe I'm becoming insomniac or something… or…" Then Kouji's eyes rolled in the back of his head and his legs gave out. Takuya just barely managed to catch the other, and gently placed him on the ground.

"You okay?" Takuya asked, and looked the other up and down. Kouji stopped him.

"Fine… just a little anemic…" Then Kouji passed out.

"Of course you're fine." Takuya sighed and laid his head on Kouji's stomach and stroked his face. "You are so going to the doctors tomorrow."

…Nighttime…

Kouji's eyes popped open, and his blue eyes glanced around. At some point the basement light was turned off, and he figured if he looked in a mirror right now his pupils would be huge. Actually, he could probably see his reflection well too, he was seeing strangely well in the darkness. Glancing around, a strange scent filled his nostrils. Blood. Panic swept through him what if something happened to Takuya? Searching around in a frenzy, he stopped short when seeing Takuya sleeping curled up next to him. But where was the smell of blood coming from. Following it, he found he was sniffing Takuya's neck now, making the other mumble something about being tickled. 'Peculiar…' He thought, and mentally screamed when he realized finally what he was doing. His mouth was gently parted, and he was about to bite his koi! Why the hell was he doing that?

"You're hungry. Feast." An amused voice said. Kouji looked around but saw no one.

"What'd you say?" Takuya yawned and sat up, paying no attention to the fact Kouji was looking around wide-eyed.

"Nothing… but… hey, what did Mrs. Iwata say?" Kouji asked and grabbed Takuya by the shoulders. The brunette winced at being handled in such a way right after he woke up (not to mention being told to think) and yawned again.

"Said… she put a curse on you… make you like a vampire…" The brunette mumbled gently. Kouji's eyes widened, and a strike of fear went through him when he noticed that usually when something like this happened your 'blood ran cold', but it did not. Your 'heart stopped beating'. It did not. In fact, he couldn't really feel anything other than Takuya's warm body next to his.

"I think… it worked." Kouji whispered. The brunette looked questioningly at him. "Why?"

"She thinks you're the one who killed all her cats last night… doesn't believe me when I said you didn't. Wants to sue us…" Takuya here yawned again. Kouji placed his hands over his face and growled in annoyance.

"I think she succeeded… why does she think that?"

"Nnnmm… we don't pay much attention to her… you weren't there when I checked up on her and she automatically blamed you…" Takuya sat up, mostly awake now. "What makes you think it worked?"

"Check my pulse." Kouji ordered, and held his wrist out. Takuya gave him a quizzical look, and then groped the air for his wrist. It was obvious the other one couldn't see in the darkness. When the wrist was found, Takuya did the proper checking for a pulse on Kouji's left wrist. Nothing.

"Maybe I'm checking wrong…" Takuya stammered, not wanting it to true.

"No, you're checking right. I can see everything you're doing." Kouji sighed. Takuya raised a brow.

"Really? I can barely see your outline."

"Arrghh…"

"Kouji?

"Hai?"

"You have to drink a mouthful of blood every night."

"Nani?"

"You can't be in the sunlight."

"I knew that…"

"A stake through the heart will kill you."

"Wondrous…"

"Besides that you're immortal."

"What?"

"And until you 'repay for your sins', or we prove her wrong you're stuck like this." Takuya finished. Kouji stared blankly at him.

"Where are we going to get the blood?"

"Hope you like rats Kouji, because I'm sure the blood donation centers won't give us any."

"You think that'll work?"

"Is it worth a shot?"

"True, nothing to lose." Kouji sighed, and walked out of the room in search of: rats. Yummy. An hour later Takuya heard Kouji come back in, and this was only because he was coughing and sputtering along the way. "That didn't bode so well…" The black-haired boy scowled, trying to remove the vulgar taste from his mouth.

"How so?" Takuya asked.

"Well, whatever food was in me before is now a new fertilizer for plants." Kouji explained.

"Eew…" The brunette scrunched up his nose. Then looked at Kouji in thought.

"Now what do we do?"

"What about me?"

"Huh?" Kouji blinked.

"Don't worry Kouji, we'll prove your innocent and you'll be back to normal in no time! And to keep you alive and well until then you can drink from me, okay? Just give me a warning… Sound good?" Takuya said and clapped his hands together. "During the day I'll try and find out who did it, and during the night you can! A search that goes on 24/7, we're bound to solve it in no time!" He said, with such confidence Kouji had to give a small smile for such a determined outlook.

"I appreciate it Takuya, but I don't want to…" Kouji started, but stopped when Takuya held up his hand.

"I'll be fine. It's only a mouthful, not like it's a gallon. Don't worry, okay?" The brunette's voice was so reassuring, and by now the thirst for human blood and the chance of getting it… well, it completely changed Kouji's opinion. Takuya moved his shirt collar over and moved his neck slightly below Kouji's lips.

"I really don't…" His feeble protests were ignored when Takuya used his hand and pushed Kouji's head closer to his neck.

"Don't be so afraid, you have to stay alive until you're proven innocent, okay?" Takuya said softly. Finally, Kouji gave in completely to his needs and his koi's soothing voice. Slowly parting his lips, Kouji gently caressed the flesh in which he'd take a bite and felt Takuya's body shiver against him.

"I'm going to do it now, okay?" Kouji whispered gently against Takuya's soft skin. The other merely nodded his head slightly, his body tense expecting pain. Two fangs slowly developed where two flat-teeth previously were. They sunk slowly into the soft human flesh, and he felt Takuya's tense body suddenly become limp against him, and he had to hold the brunette up. Kouji felt the blood spill into his mouth, and he made a low purring noise. It tasted so… nice and sweet. When he had gotten into a fight with some jerk in junior high school he first tasted blood in his mouth and it was coppery and disgusting. Now it was sheer heaven to him. A cold hand snaked its way around Takuya's neck and pulled it closer to him, wanting oh so much more. The other as he lay limp wasn't sure if what he felt was searing pain or pure europhia, either way so long as Kouji was going to be with him… The other felt his teeth go deeper into his koi's skin. Takuya. Kouji snapped quickly out of his daze and immediately removed his mouth from Takuya's neck, who fell with a thud on the floor and lay limp there. The pony-tailed youth had a feeling deep in his stomach that he took more than just a mouthful. "Kuso! Takuya, are you okay?" Kouji asked, and looked the other over carefully.

"Nnnm… fine…" Takuya whispered. "Come here." He pulled Kouji down for a gentle kiss. Or at least, started out gentle until Kouji felt the need for it to go beyond that. Slowly self-control left him, and he dove his tongue inside of Takuya's mouth, getting a startled noise from Takuya. Though using it to caress and toy with Takuya's own tongue made the brunette forget about the sudden urge and made him moan. Kouji liked that sound, it was a noise he did not hear as often as he'd like to. Now was a good time to hear it more often. Slowly removing Takuya's clothes and his own while he distracted the other, by the time his koi realized he was naked beneath an also bare Kouji he was again lost to what was being done to him. "Kouji…?" He asked gently, as small nips and licks went slowly down his chest sending pleasured shivers up and down his spine over and over again.

"Sssh… we haven't done this in a long time…" Kouji whispered back to him. Takuya just nodded his head, dizzy from a fair amount of blood (not too much) having already been taken so quickly, and the enjoyment of what was being done to him. It was a rather nice night for each of the needy boys.

…A week later…

The two had searched and searched, and to no avail. Kouji, had never better in his entire life, not having to worry about work or anything. Though, he felt nothing but worry for his koi, where everything was slowly beginning to take its toll on him. First off, he still needed to go to work and make excuses for Kouji's absence. Second, the fact Kouji had to keep drinking from him was slowly making him more and more pale from diminishing blood. Third, was the seventeen-year old trying to run errands and search for whoever was it that upset Mrs. Iwata enough to curse him. Kouji couldn't go out it seemed because Mrs. Iwata had a fit when she saw him and well…evil old hag… and last but not least, was the fact Takuya tried so hard staying up long enough to be with Kouji and actually talk with him. So he lacked blood, sleep, getting stressed, and proper nutrition. So, Kouji was more than just worried. He was panicky. And yesterday when Kouji suggested they ask Kouichi to help Takuya explained to him they couldn't otherwise Kouichi would get ill.

"Oi, Kouji!" Takuya said brightly, then tripped and tumbled down the stairs. Kouji immediately went over to him and checked the brunette over.

"You okay?" Kouji asked, worry taking over.

"I'm… fine…" Takuya waved him off and grinned. "Guess what?" He asked.

"You went to the hospital and got a blood transfusion?" Kouji asked hopefully.

"No, I told you… I'm fine. Besides… too expensive. Not…" Takuya leaned against Kouji getting tired from supporting himself and his eyes slowly slid closed. Kouji waited a few minutes for him to wake again. "…oh, sorry dozed on you…" He apologized, a bit flustered. "Eh, oh yeah! I went to the… library and you won't believe this but… I met Mrs. Iwata's grandson. He's heard about the cats… and said he'd help us…" Takuya murmured as darkness from exhaustion slowly took its toll.

"Why?" Kouji asked gently. Wanting to know, but didn't dare risk keeping Takuya awake just for the sake of curiosity. "Did you tell him about our predicament?"

"No… just said… someone killed her cats… thought we did… offered… to help…" Kouji could tell Takuya was drifting farther and farther away to a dreamless sleep. "Hey… here…" Takuya murmured and lifted himself up.

"Takuya… I don't think it's anything big if I go a night without…" Takuya shushed Kouji.

"Just… please…" Kouji sighed, knowing Takuya's stubbornness would outlast his exhaustion and bent down carefully, and took a small bite. He took as little as possible, and as usual Takuya fell limp. But this time he was asleep, his skin pale but his cheeks a slight red making him look either very ill or very anemic. Sighing in frustration, he nuzzled Takuya's neck. 'Why…?' Although after each time the small wound healed itself, blood was another matter. The black-haired boy gently lifted Takuya up and carried the boy into his own bed, figuring he deserved a good nights rest. Perhaps even a day off from work, and though Kouji was tempted to call his koi's work and say he was ill then there would be multiple problems arising. Brushing a few hairs from the others face, Kouji slowly walked out. Takuya's blood would take time to replenish itself, and how often and much Kouji needed slowed the process.

"I wish there was some way… this could be easier…" Kouji sighed, and leaned heavily against a doorframe.

"There is." A voice whispered. Kouji looked about wildly, searching for the voice he had heard before. "Abandon your emotions. It'll be a great deal easier." It continued.

"No, it'd be a great deal harder." Kouji growled. "Who are you?"

"Oh, just someone who wishes to help you reach your full potential." The voice chuckled, and from forth the shadows came a man with forest green eyes, and deep brown hair rich in color and texture that fell to his mid-back. He wore a metallic copper shirt that hid most of the man's physical features in that area, but he did have tight jeans that shown very powerful legs. And black slippers. Kouji's thought, 'What the hell?'

"Why are you wearing black slippers?" Kouji asked, suddenly more curious by the fact this weird man was in their house and wearing black slippers than by a weird man got into their house without getting their attention.

"Well, isn't it more suiting? I only walk within the darkness by which mere mortals sleep, and generally don't go into the public. So… I wear slippers. Are you saying there's something wrong with that?" He asked, an amused expression on his face.

"No, just curious. What are you-Wait! What do you mean you only walk around at night? Help me reach what potential?" Kouji growled, then heard a slight noise of one who is disturbed whilst sleeping and turned around to see Takuya shifting in the bed. 'Must be getting loud…' Sighing he turned to the man, and was confused when he was gone. "…?" Blinking, he walked out of the room, and when he did not still find the enigmatic person, scratched his head. "Peculiar…"

"Hmm, he's not that attractive when you look at him _this_ way… but if I move here…" He heard the voice and Kouji turned right around to see him in their bedroom. Scowling, the owner of the voice sighed as he got dragged away from the area in which he was studying.

"Let's go to the basement." Kouji growled.

"Fine by me, so long as you listen to my proposition."


	4. Untitled

**Notes**: Do not own Kingdom Hearts, nor The Lion King. No clue where this was supposed to go, but it does show I don't write only Digimon. Which I also don't own.

* * *

**Title**: Never given one **Writing**: Late 2003 **Rating**: K+

Soft music that whispered sweet reassuring thoughts into a void, empty and lacking any feeling of hope. Falling through misty waters that hid answers and asked questions that posed no meaningful point. To be engulfed in a world of endless darkness; a world of no feeling or even thought. Merely a world to never know who you are, what you are, or even if you are. Dearly beloved who has always been there, have you been taken for granted? Has those who you have gifted with your presence found themselves preoccupied with less important things? Dearly beloved, do not feel discouraged. Keep your light in your mind, and grip it well with your heart. For if you, dearly beloved, forget whom and what your light is, then your own will extinguish into the pitch blackness, and you will be lost again. So dearly beloved, follow the music of your light and you can do no wrong. Stray away from the path, and you have already sealed your fate. And remember to tell him… he's the one who will open the door to the light Riku.

Shimmering sea green eyes cracked open slightly, and slowly closed again. The light from the endless artificial lamps burned his eyes every time he dared to awaken from a short slumber. Sighing, again they opened and remained, with the exception of the occasional blink. "Another glorious morning…" He sighed. Again that voice had found its way into his dreams, and again there was a sense of recognition, but how could he recognize a voice that spoke no words? A puzzling thought, and despite it's constant nagging to be understood, this sea green-eyed teenager had neither cared nor bothered to find it's answer. Brushing a few loose silver strands away from his pale face, lips twisted in a form to match his already annoyed expression. 'Now what do I do?' Getting a sitting position on the straw bed he looked left, then right. Left again, and right too. Up. Down. In a circle. Yet again, another bothersome sigh. Riku had no idea what the hell he should do right now, and so to keep himself mildly entertained his eyes darted too and fro for no reason at all.

For the past few months, all Riku had done was pretty much train and uh… well train. Oh, and also mindless play with the buttons on his pants. They made this funny little 'clickity' noise… and despite how stupid it seemed it did pass the time. 'This is slowly starting to become more and more ridiculous…' Shrugging and grabbing a blue pen and some blank sheets of paper, Riku scrawled down what he 'heard' in his dream. This is what he wrote.

"I think I'm crazy. I hear a voice that says no words, and it sounds familiar and yet it never spoke. There is nothing to see, and nothing to feel, so does it really count as a dream? And it says I have to tell some guy he's the one who will open the door to the light… okay, what door to what light? Not to mention it freaks me out when it says 'dearly beloved'… perhaps I listen to too much of Yoko Shimamura's work… just a little. It also says one or two really corny lines. That's it, I refuse to watch The Lion King ever again, no matter how good it is. Scratch that, I won't watch it for a week. How the hell did I get off topic?"

Growling in frustration Riku tossed the papers away and glared at the door. Why was he sitting on hi ass instead of training? Oh yah… visitors were coming. The silver-haired bishounen looked sourly around, and nearly considered nailing a sign on his door labeled: 'Under-Construction, come back in ten hours', but it would only get him grounded and prevent him from seeing the most precious thing to him. But now was not the time for this, as clothes were everywhere, even places that makes you wonder how they got there. "…how did my boxers get in the box for sheddings from the pencil sharpener?" A confused blink, and horrified look at the realization that wasn't the strangest of discoveries.


	5. Romance, yeah right

**Notes**: How I long to sit down and finish this one day. I just love how Takky and Kouji's mothers interact with each other in it. XPEven if it's old...

* * *

**Title**: Romance, yeah right... **Written**: 2003/2004 **Rating**: K+ or T

"So, what do you think of the weather today?" Mrs. Minamoto asked politely, and took a sip of tea. Her hair was placed in a tight bun, and she wore a brown button-up sweater over a plain blue shirt, with a plaid blue skirt. She sat very lady-like, and looked from her tea to Mrs. Kanbara who was drinking her tea in a rather impolite manner.

"It's great! Everything's great! Just fine, great great GREAT!" Mrs. Kanbara sang. 'Oh no... she had coffee again this morning.' Mrs. Minamoto sighed. The other lady had bouncy brown eyes and her hair held great volume, and she wore shorts with a gray shirt on.

"Uhm... yes. So, how's your son doing?" Mrs. Minamoto asked her, hoping for a not so ecstatic answer again.

"Oh, he and his father went fishing. I don't understand why, when they could be playing a REAL sport, like oh lets say, hunting!" Mrs. Kanbara said, and stood up and acted as if she were holding some sort of bow and arrow... with her feet. Mrs. Minamoto overlooked this minor detail, and sipped a bit more from her tea. Ever since she had married Mr. Minamoto, she has been spending quite some time with her husband's best friends wife. Meanwhile, their sons played with each other very often. Mrs. Minamoto was not sure just exactly WHERE her husband met Mr. Kanbara, but wherever he did she did not care to visit.

"How lovely." Mrs. Minamoto said politely, and looked over at the nearby sakura tree. Watching the breeze blow through it eloquently, she so very longed to be around others who could so easily enjoy the beauty of it. Her face twitched. But noooo, she had this dimwit for a friend whose idea of beauty was the most recent kind of animation.

"No, not really. How's Kouji doing Mika?" Mrs. Kanbara asked, causing the other to twitch again. "Oh, you twitch a lot Mika, you may need to visit a physician about that." She continued.

"I have kindly requested of you before _Mrs. Kanbara_, to at least call me Miki-_san, _rather then just Mika. Oh, and Kouji is doing fine." Mrs. Minamoto said, her eyebrow still twitching.

"I'm serious Mika-san, you may have an eye problem. You know, diseases are finding all sorts of weird ways to show signs these days." Mrs. Kanbara pointed out. Mika, snorted.

"Mona, I'll be perfectly fine, but thank you for your concern." Mika said as mannerfully as possible.

"What is Kouji doing?"(1) Mona pried again, beginning today's round of 20 questions.

"I'm not sure."

"Why not?"(2)

"Because he went with his father to work."

"Why?"(3)

"It'll be a good experience for him."

"How come?"(4)

"That way it'll help him in the future."

"How so?"(5)

"So that he can be like his father."

"Does he want to be like his father?"(6)

"I'm not sure..."

"Didn't you ask him?"(7)

"No."

"Why not?"(8)

"Because his father already leads a good life that it would be considerably reasonable for Kouji to have the same."

"...what if Kouji wants to lead his own life?"(9)

"Well, then he won't have a good one."

"How do you know he won't have a good one enjoying what he does rather than being forced to do what he hates?"(10)

"Because I'm good like that."

"You are?"(11)

"Yes."

"Since when?"(12)

"Look, Mona, I'm not in the mood to play your little game today, so will you please stop asking such useless questions?"

"Why?"(13)

"Why should I?"(14)

"You ask me silly questions, can't I ask you the same?"(15)

"Please... Mona... I'm not in the mood."

"Does Mr. Minamoto wish for Kouji to follow in his footsteps?"(16)

"...Mona..."


	6. Titleless

**Notes**: Somewhat inspired by a disturbing dream... originally Takuya was supposed to have a crush on his teacher, get his heart broken because the teachers love was in a coma and would never leave them, and them the Koukuya commences.

* * *

**Title**: Lacks one **Written**: Early 2004 **Rating**: T

"Okaa-san! Okaa-san!" A brown-haired boy called from upstairs. When hearing no reply, he jogged down the stairs and looked about the kitchen for his mother. His reddish-brown eyes search quickly over the room, and he tore off to search elsewhere in the house. "Okaa-san!" He called out again.

"Onii-san, she's out." Another boy yawned. He looked like a much younger version of Takuya, except his eyes were different and his hair was shorter, not to mention his body was smaller and a bit clumsier than his. "I sort of... forgot to tell you." He added with a cheesy grin. The older of the two fumed, and looked ready to kill his younger brother, blood or no blood, when the phone rang. Turning around, the older boy ran after the screaming demons voice (The phone). The other youth, daring to further anger his 'loving' brother raced towards the demonic fiend people call, the 'phone'.

"I got it!" The elder called out, and did a long dash, grabbed the phone, spun around and landed onto the ground-all without breaking anything. The younger one slid and crashed into his brother though, and smiled innocently at his brother's glare. "Moshi moshi!" The elder asked cheerily.

"Break anything this time?" A familiar voice asked in question. The first of the two brothers grinned, and pushed his brother away.

"Iie, Kouji-san." The first replied, a grin still plastered on his face. He and Kouji had been best friends since... well let's just say it has been a very long time.

"It's a record Takuya!" His friend's voice cheered on the other line, mockery evident. Growling, the elder boy now labeled as Takuya, growled.

"That's not true! I have gone with answering the phone without breaking things A LOT!" Takuya shot back at his friend. His little brother, not seeing any of this very interesting, shrugged and stalked off to watch television, perhaps even sneak in some episodes of Excel Saga his parents taped. Lucky him Takuya and Kouji talked a long time on the phone, and Takuya answered the demon on the cordless phone.

"Sure sure... hey are you doing anything this weekend?" Kouji asked from the other line. When hearing the nervous chuckle, Kouji sighed. "Since when did you like school so much?" He asked, already knowing Takuya's answers to his first question.

"Heheh... well since I had an interesting teacher. Oh, and since my parents threatened to cut me off allowance and send me on a diet. Yuck!" Takuya said, making a face. A diet, exactly what he didn't need. People at school already asked if he ate enough at school... and let's just say he's daily meal consisted of the equivalent of four pizzas, four cheeseburgers, and lots of rice balls. Yes, he ate plenty yet he was 'as thin as a twig'. Shuddering at the thought if he ever ate less, he waited for Kouji's response, which was a chuckle.

"Either that, or your teacher is really good-looking. What's her name, I might have her." Kouji continued on with chuckling. Takuya blushed lightly; his teacher was good-looking, just not female...

"Nah, it's a guy." Takuya said, trying to sound as if he were shrugging without a care.

"I see..." Was Kouji's reply. "May I ask you something?" He asked.

"Uh... sure." Takuya said, a bit uneasily. What if Kouji knew...?

"Is Shinya watching Excel Saga?" Kouji blurted. He recognized that overly excited voice, the voice of that horribly hyperactive character that talked too fast oftentimes Kouji couldn't keep up. He even read on the Internet from some English-speakers who mentioned the subtitles couldn't keep up with Excel.

"NANI!" Takuya yelped, and left the phone clanking on the ground as he checked the room in which Shinya was in fact watching the said anime. Kouji sighed on the phone, this happened too often. When they were younger, Kouji could have cared less (though then it was Takuya who had always called). Now though, everything was different. The boy waiting on the phone for Takuya had realized that he had... certain affections for the brunette. As many times as he tried to hint it to Takuya, the brown-haired idiot didn't seem to notice. It was often very frustrating, and at least ten times Kouji tried to give up, but then he'd see Takuya's friendly smile and he'd try all over again.

"Baka..." Kouji muttered, more of to himself, not having heard Takuya get back to the phone.

"Oh, aren't you so loving?" Takuya asked with a cheeky grin. Kouji jumped, and turned a light shade of pink.

"Eh? Yes, I'm so very loving I make fun of you behind your back..." Kouji said sarcastically. Hearing Takuya's laughter, Kouji smiled to himself. If only Takuya could give him a sign of what his outlook was on him...

"Well, you were right, Shinya was watching Excel Saga. Do you know how fast Excel talks? I got confused from the first sentence, it's crazy! Oh, err so what's up?" Takuya proceeded to changing the subject, not wanting to complain to Kouji. If you ever needed someone to talk to, when you really needed to help, Kouji was the person to talk to. To make small complaints though, was entirely different story, minor things being made into giant mountains annoyed the boy.

"Nothing, now that I have a weekend filled with pointless television watching." Kouji sighed, and rubbed his temples. All he wanted was to spend some time with his life-long friend, but instead for the past weekends ever since school started back up again Takuya always was doing something with his teacher. Honestly, what subject was Takuya having so much trouble with? Couldn't Kouji help him! Realizing his rising jealousy, he quickly quelled it. No point in yelling at Takuya and confusing the boy, then yelling out the reason and confusing Takuya even more so. This would result in Kouji getting a mixed message, and them both hanging up in despair.

"I'm sorry Kouji... hey how about when I make sure all my grades are good, we can do something together again?" Takuya asked. He knew how anti-social Kouji was, and it was a miracle in itself that they were friends. Although seemingly cold and loathing, Kouji was actually a very kind and gentle person who cared deeply for those close to him. Except his step-mom, but this was because Kouji wanted his real mom. The mother he never knew... perhaps that explained his cold outlook on this world.

"Sounds great, but knowing you I'd have to wait until the next vacation..." Kouji joked, and ignored all of Takuya's protests. It was true though, Takuya did not like doing work one bit, and it was often a close call when they passed a grade. Usually he managed by barely a grade, or sometimes even one point.

"You just wait and see Minamoto, I shall make good grades no matter what this year! I will crack down on the books! I will study! I will not pull pranks no matter how tempting it is! I will not egg Ms. Kareta's car... until next week that is." Takuya murmured the last part, and Kouji couldn't help but laugh. Running his fingers gently through his long black ponytail, he now suddenly realized how much he longed being with Takuya. His serene blue eyes lowered and he sighed again. Too many depressing thoughts him...

"Yah yah yah..." The boy on the phone said, waving everything Takuya said off. The other, as if sensing this motion growled in fake anger.

"You are so mean!" Takuya pouted, and then went to whining to his heart's content. 'If only you could send me a picture of you doing that...' The black-haired boy sighed.

"Whatever..." Kouji muttered, his usual self returning. Not because someone did something horribly annoying, but because he was missing his friend TOO much.

"You okay Kouji-san?" Takuya asked, worry weaving through his voice and sounding like a blessing to Kouji. The other noticed when something was bothering him still at least.

"What gave it away?" Kouji asked.

"Well, this entire conversation you sound as if you need something. You okay?" Takuya prodded. The other smiled against the phone; he could always count on Takuya.

"I'm fine. Ja." Kouji waited for Takuya's voice to say 'Ja', and after hearing it he hung up.


	7. Whisper the Imaginary 1

**Notes**: Not enough words can describe the pride (and hate) I have for this story. The plot is actually really, really good... I just don't like how I went about it in this way.

* * *

**Title**: Whisper the Imaginary **Written**: Late 2004 **Rating**: T to M

The party was becoming more and more of a success. Tomoki and Shinya shared a slice of cake together, reveling in the sugary goodness of the icing and the joyous and cheery feelings around them. The others were there too, but the only official couple that was there were themselves. Smiling shyly, the two boys did their best to ignore the occasional questions forced upon them by the others. Takuya had been one of the main offenders, enjoying the torment on his brother, and Yutaka had been the other. It seemed like an issue the younger siblings had that their elders really didn't care about. This was life however, and for it to be worse it was a birthday. Not just anyone's however, it was our little Tomoki's big day, reaching the great age of fourteen. Izumi wasn't one of the constant questioners on their relationship, but every time they did something 'cute' together she would give out such a squeal. Junpei really didn't care, as suspected he had been mindlessly following the girl that his mind decided would be the human to receive his utmost affection. Kouji never really commented on the relationship, but his approving glances were the only words he really did need to say. Kouichi when he first came was rather timid, but he loosened up soon enough.

"Finally, the unknown gift. Ooowwooowooooohhh!" Tomoki's mother said, trying to do so in a creepy voice that sounded ridiculous with the ghost noises. Shinya rolled his eyes at the woman's attempt to make the gift seem eerie, but it amused his koi so he didn't really care. Whatever made the other happy made him happy as well.

"All right, then I'll open it to know its secrets!" Tomoki said mock-bravely, and then ripped the wrapping paper right off the box. When all of the covering had been removed, he tilted his head at the box. It was a compass, binoculars, and a butterfly net. Interesting, and most certainly more complicated to pinpoint who exactly was insane enough to give him this stuff.

"Can you guess who got it? Huh? Huh?" Tomoki's father asked excitedly, grinning from ear to ear.

"Not really." Tomoki said, laughing nervously.

"Come on Tomoki, it can't be that hard. You and Shinya are together after all, nothing should be complicated after admitting, right?" Takuya asked, smirking at his younger brother's glare. It didn't really scare the brunette, for Takuya had faced the evilest glares from the master, Kouji himself. Of course these glares weren't really given anymore unless you just downright really ticked Kouji off badly.

"You be quiet." Shinya said glaring, but Takuya merely shrugged it off acting like the threat was small and insignificant.

"All I can say is, it's definitely not from me." Izumi sighed, placing her hand on her cheek and sweat dropping when Junpei nodded his head in agreement.

"Well… mom?" Tomoki asked, looking up at his mother. She shrugged and shook her head, as did his father who looked equally unsure. "Anyone? I give, just tell us and it's all good." He said, and frowned when they all looked at each other expecting someone to come forward. No one did; the silence reigned for a few minutes.

"Ah, they'll probably tell you after the party." Shinya said reassuringly, and grinned when getting a smile from Tomoki. "To make them feel better because we couldn't guess, let's play with it first!" He suggested, and the two then began to find some use for the items.

"Was it you, Kanbara?" Yutaka asked, getting himself another slice of cake.

"Nope, you?" Takuya replied, and then grabbed the plate Yutaka had just made from him. "Thank you." He said grinning, and took and plastic fork before eating the sugary goodness.

"Your welcome." Yutaka grumbled, working on making another plate seeing as his second one just got stolen. "No, and I can't think of anyone who would." He sighed here. "Any luck with the uhm… you-know-what?" He asked in a hushed tone, looking around to make sure no one heard.

"Ehh? That! Oh, uh… eheh, not really." Takuya said sweat dropping, trying to not let a blush free. The 'you-know-what' wasn't exactly obvious to most people at this party, because the outward signs weren't as strong as it was with Shinya and Tomoki over the past few years. The brunette had a nice, large crush on Kouji but more or less the only person who really had a slight idea about it was Yutaka. And he only knew because Takuya accidentally let it slip out when he was picking Shinya up once.

"You really need to start working on it." Yutaka sighed, and then moved his plate out of Takuya's reach who pouted. "Damn it, make your own plate!" He grumbled.

"But I'm a guest here!" The brunette whined.

"You make it sound like I'm not!" Yutaka growled. Meanwhile what neither of the two noticed where two piercing blue eyes glowering at Yutaka from a little ways off, a glare that most did not see everyday.

"Just tell him." Kouichi sighed, shaking his head at Kouji's death-glare zapping Yutaka. If life was a video game, and his twin had laser vision, many would currently be mourning the tragic loss of Yutaka.

"And get rejected, I don't think so." Kouji growled, turning away from the scene of Yutaka and Takuya arguing over a piece of cake.

"I bet he won't reject you." Kouichi said with a smile, then scowled upon realizing Kouji wasn't even listening to him. "Fine, ignore your brother who tries so very hard to help you from falling into the depths of misery and becoming dependent on Prozac or Zoloft."

"What are the two of you talking about?" Izumi asked, smiling down at the twins. Kouichi jumped, and turned a light shade of red from being startled so, and began to mumble nonsensical lies that neither the blonde nor himself understood.

"Okay okay, just calm down though!" Izumi said sweat dropping.

"What… were you trying to say?" Junpei asked, scratching his head dumbfounded and standing next to Izumi.

"Uh, that we were talking about music!" Kouichi said, hoping this was believable. The last thing he needed right now aside from further embarrassment was his twin trying to kill him. For some reason Kouji just didn't feel comfortable telling two of his closest friends ever. Then again, this was Kouji and it was doubtful that there was a soul out there that ever had the faintest idea how his twin thought. Why, Kouichi was willing to make a wager not even Kouji himself understood his own thinking patterns.

"Oh, what bands? Genre?" Izumi asked excitedly, and a minor hint of tension rose. It was between Kouichi and Junpei, but everyone was suffering through their own problems and such so this went unnoticed. In fact, not even Kouichi and Junpei noticed this tension, how they couldn't is a bit complicated.

"I'll get us some water bottles, be right back." Shinya said, and then pecked Tomoki on the cheek before running inside. A light tinge of pink lingered on Tomoki's cheeks, which soon melted away as he blinked at the compass. The needle pointed straight at north, and it had pointed in that direction for the past five minutes. Slowly though, it began to move in a fluid direction without the wavering it generally had. Tomoki furrowed his brows together, trying to understand this odd sight. It pointed southwards, right at the woods behind his house. Curiosity got the better of him, and he tentatively walked into the woods. Moments later, you couldn't even tell that the youth had went into the woods.

"Hey uh… where's your brother?" Takuya asked, glancing around for the younger boy. Yutaka ceased trying to reclaim his other stolen plate, and raised a brow.

"The lie would be in the house, the truth however… is I haven't the faintest idea. Hey mom…?" Yutaka called, heading over to his and Tomoki's mother.

"What's going on?" Shinya asked walking outside with the bottles of water, unsure why everyone was hollering out for Tomoki's name.

"Is Tomoki inside?" Kouichi asked Shinya, and seeing the younger Kanbara shake his head no he frowned.

"Why? What's wrong?" Shinya asked, worry rising inside of him.

"I hope he didn't wander into the woods, it's getting late." Tomoki's father murmured, glancing up at the setting sun. A zephyr sent a cold shiver among the guests at the party and they all exchanged confused glances. That was a bit on the creepy side, now wasn't it?

"I'll check inside." Izumi said, laughing nervously. "He's probably in the bathroom or something…" She walked inside, with Junpei and Kouichi at her heels. Not exactly at her heels, but they did follow her inside the fair sized house. It wasn't any sort of a magnificent house, but it was well suited for a small family. It was a three-bedroom house, one room that was now a guest room instead of Yutaka's room. There was Tomoki's room, and then his parent's room with two bathrooms in total. There were no bathrooms in any bedrooms, and meaning the house had two bathrooms hanging about in the hallway. It was a nice one-story home, with bricks that gave it a sturdy appearance and a chimney that puffed out smoke during the cold wintery days.

"Uh guys, we are now missing two midgets." Takuya murmured, then gulped when realizing all eyes where on him now. "Well… do you guys know where Shinya went?" Now they had two of the youngest missing, and this most certainly wasn't heading in a promising direction.

"I bet he went off into the woods to search for Tomoki. Great, now he's going to get lost in there!" Yutaka scowled, annoyance apparent in his features. "I'll go look for them." He sighed, grabbing a flashlight and heading towards the woods.

"I'll help." Takuya stated matter-of-factly, grabbing another flashlight. "My brother's in there too you know." He scowled, glaring at the woods trying to resist the urge to not run in there and choke his younger brother. Just their luck, to have the two go off and get themselves lost.

"You aren't going alone." Kouji growled, feeling both annoyed and threatened. Annoyed because everyone was just going off and leaving him there, and threatened because he downright did not trust Yutaka and Takuya alone in the woods, at night. Insecure at this moment was an understatement in Kouji's mind right now, in the gentlest of words.

"All right, at this rate those two little rats won't be hiding for long." Takuya grinned, tossing Kouji a flashlight of his own. Kouji gave him a wry grin back, and the three started towards the words. At least until they heard a shriek of terror. Then they ran.

Three flashlights lit the perimeter in a confusing and fast-paced manner. One moment it'd be pointed in one direction, then the light would be pointing in that of an entirely different one. Yutaka, Takuya, and Kouji were running with the flashlights on, not even actually using the lights other than to avoid the trees and at times not even for that. The screams and loud sobs were loud enough to lead them exactly to the owner, and hopefully the owner was only disturbed by a deer's dead carcass or something. None of the three wanted to think of what else might have caused such a horrible noise, or else the images would come. The images themselves were almost as horrible as the noises they were hearing, and combining the images and noises would be too much for their stomachs. It wasn't until the three finally reached where the noises came did the noises stop entirely, and with frantic glances they searched the area for where it all came from. Silence, and nothing were their only clues.

"Tomoki?" Shinya's voice called from not too far away. Takuya's eyebrow twitched, and he promised himself that if this had all been a joke his brother would die a slow and painful death. "Tomoki? Where are you?" The young Kanbara called again, though this time the crunching of leaves his feet made when walking ceased. "What? Tell me where you are again!" He yelled out, as the small search party of three looked at one another quizzically. They never heard Tomoki's voice reply, and from how close Shinya called they should have heard it no matter how soft.

"Shinya?" Takuya called out, and he waited for an answer. None.

"I'm coming Tomoki, don't worry!" Shinya's voice yelled, and the crunching of leaves started up again. Yutaka, Takuya, and Kouji all looked at each other somewhat fearful. Why didn't Shinya answer his brother? How come they couldn't hear Tomoki? And most of all, what was that horrible noise?

"Shinya!" Takuya hollered, his voice echoing in the empty woods. "Will you answer me already?" He yelled, straining his voice determined to get a response.

"There you are Tomoki! I was so worried about you! They had said you were dead, but of course I didn't believe them! How could you die after all?" Shinya's cheerful voice said, echoing back to them. Yutaka's eyes widened, and he looked at the other two. They nodded and began running towards where the noise was coming from. They were no longer driven by curiosity, now it was worry. They never heard Tomoki's voice, and how they heard Shinya say this. Their nerves were at the breakable point, and they each had to ensure the two boys were okay… and nothing happened, that it was all a joke.

"Hey guys, find Tomoki yet?" Shinya asked, walking out of Tomoki's room.

"No… when did you go in there?" Izumi asked, tilting her head.

"When you all said that he might be in the woods… I went in here to get a coat in case he did and a GOOD flashlight to go with everyone to look for him." Shinya answered, confused. "Did they already leave?" He asked, panicking. If anyone were to find his boyfriend, it would be him!

"Hey Izumi, there's something you need to know." Kouichi called, walking back inside. After checking the bathroom, he was sent outside to tell everyone that Tomoki wasn't there and they'd search the entire house.

"What?" She asked blinking. Junpei started to question Shinya if this was some sort of prank he and Tomoki were pulling, saying how it wasn't polite and such.

"Yutaka, Takuya, and Kouji already went into the woods to go look for Tomoki. They thought Shinya went in there, and right before they went in it looked like they either heard or saw something that worried them so they ran on in. Ah, so Shinya isn't in the woods…" Kouichi blinked, scratching his head at the sight of the small Kanbara.

"What? No fair, they left without me!" Shinya scowled, then took off out of the room.

"Wait, Shinya!" Junpei yelped, as he and Izumi chased after him and leaving a very lost Kouichi standing there.

"…no wonder no one knows if someone is missing or not. These people never stay still!" Kouichi sighed, then followed after in a feeble attempt to help keep up with Shinya.

"It's so funny, they said a monster ate you! But I know no one could get my Tomoki! Nope!" Shinya's voice chirped happily, talking to who they hoped to really be Tomoki.

"Guys, do you get this really sinking feeling that something is not right?" Yutaka asked, and received only nods in reply.

"You are after all the Legendary Warrior of Ice, nothing can hurt you! You'll kick those Digimon's butt, no problem!" Shinya's voice laughed light-heartedly, and this sentence caused both Takuya and Kouji to stop in their tracks. Yutaka gave them a confused look, and the two looked at each other unsure of how to explain.

"Uh… must be a game they play…" Takuya murmured, and they continued walking cautiously towards the familiar voice. They weren't entirely sure why they were being so careful, but it was their instincts that demanded this movement or none at all.

"Hey, do you hear something Tomoki?" Shinya's voice asked, and the three stopped simultaneously. "Must be my imagination! Heh!" The voice said, a smile in the words. Swallowing the accumulating saliva in their mouths, the three shone their light in the area where the voice was coming from. And what they saw would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

"Kami-sama…" Yutaka whispered, begging this to be some sort of trick of the imagination. Takuya shuddered before looking away, and Kouji unconsciously took a step backwards. Shinya wasn't there like they thought he was, but Tomoki was. Just, the only thing was that the young boy was kind of… in pieces.

The funeral had been a very dreary, and sad event. Everyone around Yutaka, Takuya, and Kouji had been pounded with questions. Questions like, 'are you okay', 'how do you feel', 'did you do it', and finally 'do you think you should see someone about this'. The police had confirmed that a wild animal had attacked Tomoki, possibly feeling threatened by the boy being in its environment or it merely was very hungry. When hearing the small search party and seeing the lights, it was most likely scared off and didn't dare return to where the body was. Although Takuya and Kouji didn't think it was an animal, because that wouldn't explain the voice they heard. By now they found out Shinya was inside the whole time, so who was talking was beyond them. Certainly wasn't Tomoki that much they knew. Yutaka had seen a psychiatrist, and was currently being treated for nightmares and such.

"Of all the people, why Tomoki?" Izumi asked, shaking her head after the funeral. They all decided to go to her house; she being the more cheery of the bunch and her room was probably filled with more positive karma than anyone else's house. Although the mood destroyed whatever happiness once filled Izumi's room, and the light lavender walls suddenly seemed gray and dull. There was no Tomoki to be optimistic for them, nor a Shinya and Tomoki to bother and annoy.

"Who knows? It was his birthday, and that's what happened." Takuya said, his fists tightening as he clenched his pants.

"I just can't believe it. No matter how many times I try to understand it, I just can't. It's Tomoki." Kouichi said, attempting to hold his tears back. Kouji for the most part had been quiet the entire time, not saying anything because he wanted everyone to try and get through this and him saying something, at times, never improved these situations.

"I don't mean to pry… but…" Junpei began, taking a deep breath and ignoring the tear-filled eyes on him. "I know we all miss Tomoki, and what happened was horrible. But something doesn't add up, for some reason I just can't believe an animal did it." He sighed.

"Me either, but…" Izumi started, but cut herself off. They all nodded their head understanding; all of them were too busy mourning to really think about it.

"It wasn't an animal." Takuya said softly. Everyone slowly turned to look at him, and Kouji gave him a soft nod to say it was okay to say if he wanted to. "You might call us crazy though…" The brunette said, taking off his hat and goggles. Without Tomoki there, the entire team it just didn't seem right to wear them. Team, it almost sounded like they were back in the Digital World all those years ago…

"Tell us, we won't repeat it. After all we just lost Tomoki, I doubt any of us will risk losing anyone else." Kouichi stated softly. "And 'we' being you and Kouji, correct?" Here Kouji nodded, giving his silent response.

"Before we ran into the woods, we just thought the two had wandered in. Then we heard this horrible scream…" Takuya said, shuddering from the memory. Here everyone but Kouji looked confused.

"Wouldn't have… Tommy's mom have heard that?" Izumi said, using the young boy's nickname.

"We ran into the woods blindly, we never really thought about why no one else heard." Takuya said, trying to shake his head free of the memories of when they did find Tomoki.

"That's what didn't add up. Someone would have heard Tomoki scream if an animal attacked him, and no one even mentioned that." Junpei said, finally locating the one piece of logic that had eluded him so long.

"While looking we kept hearing these horrible noises, and when we reached where they were coming from they just… stopped. Then we heard Shinya's voice-"

"But Shinya was inside." Izumi said frowning.

"We didn't know that, and whoever was talking in his voice knew it too. When we called to him he never answered, and when he got an 'answer' from Tomoki we never heard it. We started following the voice, and as we did it was saying how it thought Tomoki had died. He said a monster ate him, then he started talking about how he was the Warrior of Ice…" Takuya said, trailing. "We hurried up, and found him." Here he shuddered again, and Kouji was already attempting to block the memory away.

"You think this has to do with the Digital World then?" Izumi asked, biting her bottom lip.

"It's all we can guess at, after all it makes sense. Sort of." Kouji replied softly startling everyone, and then they nodded.

"Wouldn't have Ophanimon or someone give us a ring then?" Izumi asked, and as if on signal her computer began to beep signaling she was receiving an instant message. Her face paled, and she looked at it. "I never… signed on. Anyone…?" They shook their heads. Gulping, she moved slowly to the desk and looked at the user's name, 'unknown'. She frowned, and looked at the message.

_"The tourniquet came too late, and the murder never transpired. Wanna play a game?" –unknown_. Izumi bit her lower lip, and moved her fingers across the keyboard fluently as if typing were as simple as breathing.

_"Who are you?" –Kazekiller_. Waiting, they all looked at the box with fairies dancing in the background.

_"…say yes, and you'll find out soon enough." –unknown_. Izumi gritted her teeth, then quickly typed her reply to this.

_"If we don't know you, how can we trust you?"-Kazekiller_. Ten minutes slowly passed by, and she was about to hit the small 'x' in the corner when the answer finally came.

_"If you didn't know my name before, how will you trust me after I've given it to you?" –unknown_. Izumi furrowed her brow in confusion, trying to make sense of the question before another response appeared. _"Yes or no, be I friend or foe. Choose to play, or choose to stay. Make your choice and find out soon, whether or not your assumptions are true." –unknown._ Izumi grinned. 'So he likes riddles does he?'

_"A game you propose to us all, our answers given if from atop we do not fall. Tell us how you know each part, then yes your game we will start." –Kazekiller_. She grinned, and then sweat-dropped realizing how confusing her own sentence was. She was so determined to make it rhyme; the sense it made was small.

_"I am here, and I am there, and at times I am nowhere. Listen to what you all say, is what I've done since that day. Accuse me not of what had been done, the answer awaits in the end, and now the game has begun." –unknown_.

"You sure that was such a good idea?" Kouichi asked.

"Of course, what could some random instant messenger do."? Izumi said. "Although I am a bit worried with how much they knew…" Here she frowned. "Not to mention how I got lo- wait a minute! I'm not even signed on!" She gasped, realizing the icon at the bar located at the bottom of her screen lacked the instant messaging provider she used.

"This… just keeps getting more and more creepy." Junpei murmured worriedly.

"Loading…" A woman's voice said through the computer.

"What? Loading what?" Izumi yelped, whipping her head at the desktop.

"Loading the portal… 70… 80… 90… welcome!" The woman's voice said cheerily, as a bright light flashed through the room.

"Izumi-chan!" Junpei yelled, knocking the blonde out of the way in fear of her safety. Like chocolate syrup is drowned in milk, the light enveloped Junpei.

"Kouichi, move!" Kouji hissed, yanking his twin away from the portal before gasping and finding himself and Takuya dragged through in a similar manner as Junpei.

"KOUJI!" Kouichi screamed, watching his brother disappear along with the portal.

"JUNPEI?" Izumi yelped, getting up immediately.

"Takuya?" Shinya's small voice squeaked, gaining the attention of both Izumi and Kouichi. They quickly turned, and saw a wide-eyed and pale-faced Shinya shaking. "…you too…?" He said softly, in such a small voice and with this he passed out. It seemed like everyone close to him just kept disappearing…

"Shinya!" Izumi yelled, running over to the boy. "Kouichi, you find out what happened to them!" She cried hysterically, finding herself starting to be unable to take the stress of everything that was happening. The strange events, the loss of Tomoki, and now they had no clue what happened to Takuya and the other two.

"Right." Kouichi said blankly, running to the computer and doing everything he could think of to find what that had all been. Then he paled. "Izumi…"

"What?"

"You know that unknown guy… well, he wants us to know the game just began. Wanna know what else?" Kouichi said, in such a calm and empty voice it creeped the blonde out.

"I don't think I have a choice whether or not I really want to know." The blonde girl said, already fearing what else there was to know.

"There are three sets of players, two of them on a team. That'd be us. The other set of players is who is causing all of this. So while Takuya, Kouji, and Junpei are 'playing the game' in the Digital World…"

"We're playing the game here, in the Real World…"


	8. Whisper the Imaginary 2

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Digimon. This goes for all chapters involving Digimon characters, that I do not own and merely write fanfiction as a hobby and nothing more.

* * *

Groaning, Takuya slowly sat up and tenderly rubbed his head. Both confused and lost, he began to try and understand what happened where he was. Until he saw two other bodies, and became more worried if they were living or dead ones. In the darkness it was unbelievably hard to see, and the only reason Takuya even knew there was a body or two next to him was the feeling of a soft warm body. Licking his lips to wet them, he slowly moved his hands and rested them on what he hoped was the persons shoulders. Shaking the body somewhat roughly, he smiled broadly when hearing the body's owner groan and two hands knock his own away.

"Where are we?" Kouji asked, getting up and wincing while clutching his head, but of course the brunette couldn't see this in the darkness.

"No idea. Hey yo, wakey wakey!" Takuya said, shaking the other body.

"Nnnmmm… five more minutes…" Junpei groaned, brushing Takuya's hands away. Frowning, the brunette placed his hands on his hips cooking up a plot how to awaken the stubborn other.

"Fine, if you won't get up one way…" Takuya trailed, then started to tickle Junpei. "Then you'll get up another!"

"Ahh! Ahahahah, Ranamon stop it! You fiend, ahahahahahahah!" Junpei laughed, trying to get away from the tickling fingers. Hearing this though, the brunette jerked his hands away as if the Warrior of Water's name burned them when it was spoken.

"Take this Sugah!" Ranamon's voice echoed, and the three boys immediately stiffened and listened. Nothing, it was entirely an echo from the past reaching their ears.

"Guys…" Junpei said, fully awake now. "I'm just a little freaked out now. Where are we?" He asked.

"No idea." Takuya said almost uneasily, then he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Opening them, he was calmer now. The voice was probably the same person who had mimicked Shinya's voice back in the woods, and that would mean the messenger had not lied about finding answers in this 'game'. Panicking wasn't a good idea, keeping calm and trying to appear brave was their best bet now. Takuya wasn't worried about Kouji, he knew the other had a common sense that would lead the once loner boy to reclaim his cool exterior once more. Nor was he worried about Junpei, because he had a really good head on his shoulders. It was himself that he was worried about, because it was his own impulses that got them in trouble a good portion of the time.

"It seems you made it to the locker room just fine, so while you're in here I'll brush you up on the game." A feminine voice said in the darkness.

"Who are you?" Takuya demanded, having a feeling it was the unknown that caused them to start playing this game.

"Lights!" The female voice said, instantly overhead lights flashed on filling the room with light. It turned out to be in fact a locker room, with walls covered in peeling cream paint. The lockers were dented and rusty, with the porcelain floor cracked and certain tiles missing revealing a sandy ground beneath. It was a large room, and empty of all other life forms aside from the three.

"Who are you!" Takuya demanded again, a bit more forcefully this time.

"Me?" The female voice asked.

"I don't think he's talking to anyone else." Kouji snapped. "He already knows who me and Junpei are."

"Oh, but of course! Silly me!" The female voice laughed, something jumped on top of a locker. It looked like a magenta cat, with a tail fluffed out at the end, and strange ears with gold rings below the large fluffs at the end that pointed in three different directions. Its collar was gold and held Chinese symbols that were mostly covered by it's fur. Large blue eyes looked back at Takuya, and a chesire cat grin played on it lips. "I am Widowiamon, it pleases me and others to have… some of the Legendary Warriors to return to us." She said.

"That means we're in the Digital World again." Junpei muttered, crossing his arms. "All right then, we have a few questions for you."

"Ah ah ah, not until you finish the games." Widowiamon said, cheshire grin not once leaving.

"Games! What? We were told a game, as in a single game not many!" Takuya growled.

"Yes, there are several games that add up to one game. Mini-games if you will, that together make one whole game. Think of it was a Role-Playing game, where you must accomplish several quests to complete the ultimate one. Or perhaps when you are traveling and you have to stop for food and gas, the necessities you need to reach the destination you are traveling to." Widowiamon explained, her grin still in place.

"Uh… okay then, when you put it that way I guess we understand. Whoa whoa, wait a minute! A game? I don't trust you, no offense meant." Takuya said bluntly, looking at Widowiamon crossly.

"Hmph. Don't trust me? I suppose I can see why though, so why don't I explain everything to you? Then again, what choice do you have?" Widowiamon said, then giggled and quieted herself down. Kouji and Junpei exchanged glances that purely expressed their mutual understanding of the Digimon not being trustworthy.

"Just tell us." Takuya growled.

"Demanding human, aren't you? All right, it's unknown how many games there are, but the Night Masters all agree that anyone wanting to have a chat with them must pass. Like when you were saving the Digital World a long time ago, you can die. Actually, the only reality in these games is permanent death. Comforting, isn't it? At times you don't even know if those around you are real, after all even I could be an illusion. You can't tell, can you? That's the art of the Night Masters, mixing reality with the imaginary. Heck, even I don't know if I'm real!" Widowiamon said with a soft chuckle. "Each game can be either a game, or it could be a test. If you pass or win, you go on to the next one. Any questions?" She asked, finally wrapping up the short explanation.

"If you don't know if you yourself are real, how do you know we're real?" Junpei asked, glaring at her.

"I don't. But if you are, this information will come in handy. If you aren't, then you aren't but at least I know the Night Masters won't blame me if the real you never receive this information. You see, the Night Masters have a very deep interest in you." Widowiamon said, her cheshire grin returning in full force.

"Who are these Night Masters anyways?" Takuya demanded, narrowing his eyes in a threatening manner.

"They are the ones that control everything here." Widowiamon said robotically, as if what she spoke was merely a recording.

"What about Ophanimon! Seraphimon! Cherubimon?" Takuya yelled.

"What about them?" Widowiamon said emptily, the blue eyes half-lidded in a slightly mechanical way. "What about Bokomon and Neemon? What about your Spirits? What about your friends? What about yourself? There is something and nothing about it all, having an answer and none. Have fun playing, hopefully you'll all live to speak with the Night Masters." With this, she seemingly turned to mist and evaporated away. Growling, Takuya turned around and punched a locker. Wincing he quickly pulled his hand away and cradled it, glaring at the locker. It's age and rusted metal was easily knocked out of the way by the force of his punch, but unfortunately the edges had sliced open his skin. Moving his hand away, he looked at the bleeding hand. Wiping the blood away, he was surprised to see no cut but blood still coming out.

"I guess this would be an example of reality and the imaginary, huh?" Junpei said, staring wide-eyed at the non-existent wound bleeding. Where the hole in the locker should have been, instead was a brand new locker without rust or age.

"Do you think your really bleeding, or it's just a trick?" Kouji asked. Takuya shrugged, but took some tissues he put in his pocket a few days ago when he was sick, and pressed it down on where the 'wound' may have been.

"No need to take the chance." Takuya said, and received a nod from Kouji in agreement.

"Hey guys? Is it just me or… is everything melting?" Junpei asked, getting alarm from the other two. The room was in fact melting, and they all screamed in unison as they fell into the whirling abyss.

"…that's new." Takuya said blinking, lying flat on his back with Junpei and Kouji on either side of him.

"Agreed." Junpei said nodding.

"Hn." Was Kouji's input.

"I know this place…" Takuya said, feeling his chest tighten from the memory.

"It looks like a cathedral…" Junpei muttered, sitting upright.

"That's how it looks." Kouji muttered.

"Takky? You all right?" Junpei asked worriedly, seeing Takuya staring blankly up at the ceiling.

"This is where I fought ShadowSeraphimon…" He murmured.

"What! Hey, your right!" Junpei squeaked, looking wildly around. "You purified him though, right! That means he isn't here! No Mercurymon or such, right!" He said, somewhat panicky.

"…?" Kouji blinked in mild confusion at them, not quite understanding.

"Oh, that's right you were chasing Kouichi when this happened. Mercurymon fused with Seraphimon's fractal code and became ShadowSeraphimon and Takuya had to fight him. If it hadn't been for Patamon when he was in that egg Takuya would be dead right now!" Junpei explained, faintly recalling the memory. The brunette shuddered at the memory, recalling how for a moment he actually thought he might end up in the coffin… like Tomoki. This brought on more shudders, too many bad memories at once. He stopped when feeling Kouji's hands on his shoulders and worried blue eyes scanning over him.

"You okay?" Kouji asked.

"Yeah, fine." Takuya said offering a smile, and watched as Kouji removed his hands. It felt nice knowing that Kouji worried over him, even though it was only friendly worry. It was amazing though, just having Kouji ask him that calmed him down a great deal.

"Why do you think we're in here?" Junpei asked, getting a shrug from the other two. "Well, that's a lot of help."

"At least we know that we don't know, right?" Takuya said grinning, hoping to enlighten the mood. Of course, after Tomoki's funeral they get tossed into the Digital World to face these 'games'. You couldn't lighten the mood if you had few electrical wires to zap a few peoples and have lights to last a few centuries. Slowly the organ near the front began to play soft music, causing the three to jump up in alarm.

"What? No witty quips?" The echo of Mercurymon's voice played, causing Takuya to stiffen. 'Why waste my breath on a jerk like you?' Were the exact words that he replied to that. It sent a shiver up the brunette's spine.

"This place just gets creepier and creepier…" Junpei whispered, standing up.

"Takuya, are you sure you're all right?" Kouji asked, looking worriedly at the brunette.

"Fine, just fine. Not a good day, that's all." Takuya reassured the other, and got up as well. Sighing because he didn't entirely believe the answer he got, Kouji stood up with him.

"There's no door in here, peculiar… what do you gu-…what?" Junpei gasped, looking around alarmed. He now found himself in the arena where he fought the shadow version of himself. Shaking he looked around wildly for the other two and found they were both gone. "Not good, not good at all." He muttered. He wasn't afraid to be alone, but he was concerned for the safety of his friends.

"Takuya, I really don't think you-… Takuya?" Kouji said blinking, and raising a brow at the baron wasteland where he and Duskmon, or Kouichi, had fought and Duskmon searched through his memories. Not a pleasant thing he enjoyed to think about, although it was hard not to when he was in there again.

"We just need to find ourselves a way out of here and… it seems the two of you already did that without me. Great, just great." Takuya sighed, finding himself alone in the 'cathedral'. "I doubt they chose to leave, because I would have heard them. Wonderful, can't believe I actually missed this place at one point." He frowned, and started to walk where the eye out of there had been way back when but the organ ceased playing. Curiosity getting the better of him, he turned around to see why. The ground shook some, and a hole in front of the ground appeared. "…I really hate this place."

"Hello?" Junpei called, then blinked. A D-Tector appeared in front of him, and he grinned. "All right!" Proud of his… victory (what else to call it?) he walked towards the familiar and comforting object. He stopped and blocked his eyes though as a bright light emitted from it. As it faded away, he removed his arms from covering his eyes and found himself at a loss for words. There standing before him, was his Human Spirit… Blitzmon. It wasn't in the small form it took inside of the D-Tector, no it looked like Junpei had Digivolved into him, although he was there and Blitzmon was there. Confusing very, comprehendible barely.

"…Junpei…" Rumbled Blitzmon's voice, alarming the child of thunder.

"Hai?" Junpei replied instantly, not even fearing that his spirit may attack. Especially in this place, where it could have been another shadow. It was just, something in him told him to trust it.

"This is a nice stroll on memory lane." Kouji said in a monotone voice, his eyes looking this way and that in determination to locate a hint if this place was real or not. The ground quaked some, making him glance upwards from the ground to what was before his eyes. A shadow walked in the darkness, and as it got closer its appearance became more and more apparent. A scarf, armor, blonde hair, red eyes… Kouji knew immediately who and what it was. Wolfmon approached him silently, but whether he had made that quake to get Kouji's attention or if it was just something that happened was beyond him.

"Minamoto." Wolfmon said blankly, as if speaking to no one in particular.

"What do you want?" Kouji asked crossly, not exactly trusting this was really his Human Spirit.

Staring at the hole, Takuya felt his hair stand upright when seeing the familiar coffin that ShadowSeraphimon had intended to put him in originally. You could say it was now official that the brunette was going to develop a phobia of coffins with the rate the day had been developing at. It lay there, silent and with the thud it created when being dumped on the ground caused dust to stir and a cloud of it circle around it. Staring at it unsure of what exactly to do, he stiffened more when hearing an eerie voice whispering in his ears. 'Open it… open… awaken it… open…' the voices said, and the brunette found himself shaking his head, refusing. Something said to not open it, and like hell he was going to listen to some creeps while his instinct said otherwise. It rarely failed him before, and now was going to be no different.

"…Takuya…" A deep voice called, startling the brunette. He turned around, and blinked surprised when seeing Agnimon sitting in one of the seat in the rows. The Digimon was somewhat transparent, and gave Takuya second thoughts if it really was Agnimon.

"Who are you?" Takuya demanded.

"The Warrior of Fire, and in the past your Human Spirit of Flame." Agnimon said simply, although his form flickered.

"Why don't I believe you then?" Takuya asked.

"Believe what you want, do what you will." Agnimon shrugged. The Human Spirit was too uncaring, that was why the brunette didn't believe it. From what he recalled, every time he became Agnimon, he sometimes felt what the Digimon felt. Agnimon had cared a lot about the Digital World, and his human 'host', making this transparent one a fake.

"Who are you?" Takuya ordered, not asked.

"Who are you?" Agnimon echoed, grinning as Takuya seethed from this response.

"Answer me!" The brunette growled.

"I will, when you tell me who you are. Kanbara Takuya is not what I'm asking, nor the Legendary Warrior of Fire." Agnimon said, a smirk on his lips. Growling, the brunette gave him one rather hateful look.

"Then what are you asking for?" Takuya ground out, holding himself back from trying anything stupid.

"Who you are, who you really are. Yes, anyone can say their name, and any of the warriors can state their destiny… but can anyone say who they are? A name is a name, a title is a title, nothing more." The false Agnimon said shrugging. Takuya was a bit taken back by this answer, and his eyes darted around as he tried to think of how to respond to this. Wait, why respond?

"I'll tell you, if you tell me!" Takuya said matter-of-factly.

"Spunky, aren't you?" Agnimon chuckled. 'Spunky? What the hell?' Takuya thought. "You already know, so don't ask." The brunette blinked blankly at him. "Think about it." With this, the false Agnimon was silent again.

"Who are you?" Blitzmon asked.

"What kind of question is that? You know who I am!" Junpei scowled.

"Yes, I do. But do you?" Blitzmon said, complicating the question.

"…what? Listen, I know exactly who I am!" Junpei declared.

"Really now? You know your place and everything? What you are, meant to do, and destiny?" Blitzmon questioned.

"Well… no one really knows their destiny in all actuality… they can make guesses and assumptions though." Junpei responded.

"No, one chooses their destiny. Answer me these questions, and you will obtain protection. Fail them, and you will suffer the consequences." Blitzmon said emptily.

"Hey, you aren't Blitzmon are you?" Junpei hissed.

"You tell me. What is your place, in your group of friends? The mindless hopeless romantic?" The false Blitzmon asked.

"What kind of question is that! I'm the one with the common sense! When someone does something stupid, I try and fix it!" Junpei said with confidence.

"Unless Kouichi and Kouji gets there first." False Blitzmon stated with a chuckle.

"Yeah, but I also give advice too." Junpei said with a nod.

"Has anyone asked you for their condolence lately though?" False Blitzmon queried.

"No… but that's because something terrible happened and we all work through it together!" Junpei declared.

"What about before?" False Blitzmon asked.

"Geeze, you just linger on one question. I've had it, understand? My day has been crap, and my friends have been going through it! I don't really appreciate you and you stupid questions, okay! They come to me for advice, when they can because we go to different schools!" Junpei growled.

"All right then. What are you?" False Blitzmon asked.

"I am a human, that was sent to the Digital World to fight as the Warrior of Thunder to protect it! And right now I'm a very stressed and pissed off human, a teenager no less!" Junpei growled.

"What's your place with Izumi?" False Blitzmon asked, and for once this time Junpei found himself at a loss for words.

"What I want? Nothing more than to ask a few questions. It's been so long since we've seen each other, I thought a little catching up might be in hand." Wolfmon said coolly.

"You thought wrong, faker." Kouji said with a slight growl. From what he remembered, the Human and Beast Spirits would be with them always. Not to mention that Widowiamon said that the only reality was death here.

"Ah, that gets me right in the heart." False Wolfmon said with a smirk. "Onto business, hmm? I ask you questions, you answer. If you get them all correct, then you may have your Spirits back. If you get them all wrong… well, you die." He said with a smile.

"How reassuring." Kouji said sarcastically.

"First, an easy one. What is your place in the group?" Wolfmon asked. "A) The loner. B) A shadow of your kind brother. C) The logical one. Or my favorite, D) The one who hurts Takuya's feelings every time he does something stupid." The fake said, listing each option.

"None, I used to be the loner but now I'm Takuya's best friend. And you're a fool, I didn't try and knock sense into him every time he did something stupid." Kouji sighed, shaking his head at this fake.

"Good boy! What's more important, family or friends?" False Wolfmon asked.

"Tch, family because friends are in that category. They are the same thing, not separate." Kouji snorted.

"Oh if that is so, does that make Takuya your family? If that's it, then why do you have such strong feelings for him, hmm? Family means nothing more than hugs, and from what I know you want more then that from him." False Wolfmon said with a grin, ignoring the glare Kouji was now sending him.

What could the fake Agnimon mean, especially seeing as the brunette was completely clueless as to what he meant. His brain couldn't make sense of it; how could he know what he didn't? The false Agnimon looked transparent, like a ghost. Wait… could that be it? "Your just something taking the form of my memory of Agnimon, aren't you?" Takuya sighed.

"Exactly, spunky and smart." The false Agnimon chuckled. "Know who you are yet?" It asked.

"I already know." Takuya growled.

"Then tell me. By the way, I'm a program using your memories to take the appearance of Agnimon to be more exact, but ah well ah well you came pretty close. Perhaps I'm not being specific enough, hmm?" The false Agnimon said, and then chuckled. "Who are you in the little group that 'saved' the Digital World?" It asked, a grin on its face.

"The leader, and myself." Takuya sighed. Such simple questions…

"You best you are right, because you do realize if you get even one of these questions wrong, something bad will happen." The false Agnimon said, a devilish smirk on its face.

"That… you never mentioned." Takuya said, getting somewhat uneasy now.

"If you get them all correct of course, a wonderful thing will happen!" The false Agnimon smiled, and then chuckled. "That is, if. Another question for our spunky smart one, yes yes! Who means more to you, Kouji… or Shinya?" It grinned a dark grin, and the brunette shifted uneasily under its gaze.

"Means more…? I couldn't choose, I love them both…" Takuya whispered, and glanced around hoping his crush didn't just pop up out of nowhere to hear that.

"Don't worry, he's with his own questioner." False Agnimon chuckled.

"You better not hurt him!" Takuya threatened, glaring.

"Such a silly spunky and smart one. Believe me, realistically despite the unreality we're in… the only one that can hurt him is you." It chuckled. "But you didn't answer the question, you must choose one or another." It stated calmly.

"I can't choose between them!" Takuya growled, shaking. He was worried for Kouji now, along with his brother. There were only three of them here, and he felt it was his responsibility to ensure all of their safety. He couldn't let anyone get hurt, no matter. No one!

"But you have too. If you had to choose between the two as to which to save, whom would you choose?" False Agnimon asked.

"To save them? I'd offer myself for their safety, I couldn't let anything happen to those close to me." Takuya said, shuddering. He already lost someone close to him, and he didn't want to lose anyone else.

"You really are silly." The false Agnimon chuckled. "You answered your questions truthfully, and so you pass." With that the Agnimon faded away, leaving the brunette confused. Takuya looked around, and watched the walls dull into lifelessness. The room became dark, and then it was gone all the same and he was left alone in the darkness. The temperature lowered, and before long the brunette could see his breath. Shivering he hugged himself and rubbed his arms hoping to get warm. The cold reminded him of something… eyes lowering in drowsiness, he fell to the floor with a soft thump, his last thought of how Shinya was doing without his soft snow…

"I'm her friend." Junpei said softly, with less enthusiasm.

"Just a friend? But you've been trying to woo her, for how long now?" False Blitzmon asked.

"You… you shut up!" Junpei snapped.

"Touchy subject, huh?" False Blitzmon chuckled. "Terribly sorry, all I seem to do is upset you. Then again, all you do to poor Izumi is annoy her. I'd bet she'd be so much more happy with Kouichi…" It trailed. Junpei growled, nodding his head to himself. "What are you thinking?" It asked, raising a brow.

"You think you can play with my mind like a puppet, don't you? That you are just the greatest marionette since Gepetto, even though he's not real! Hate to break it to you buddy, but it's not going to happen! If I annoyed Izumi so much, then how come she invites me over! If she would be happy with Kouichi, know what? I'd be happy! Because I love her, and whenever I see her smile nothing else matters to me!" Junpei growled, his button pushed and limit broken.

"Marvelous! You pass the test, congratulations!" The false Blitzmon laughed, and Junpei raising an untrusting brow at him.

"Why should I believe you?" Junpei growled.

"Because you and Takuya have just given us the information we need." It chuckled darkly. "Now we just need Kouji to tell us everything that goes on in his mind, and the next game should just be a jolly ol' time!" It laughed, and then disappeared.

"What? You asshole, come back here!" Junpei yelled, and charged at the mist left behind by the illusion. Releasing a furious yell, he ran around the room banging on the doors trying to escape. He had to stop Kouji from making the mistake he made, and make sure Takuya was all right. Just because he was all right now, didn't mean nothing could happen. 'And that thing lied, it said it would provide protection if I got all the questions right! Protection until the next game? Stupid…' Grumbling in his mind, Junpei continued trying to escape.

"Tick tock, tick tock you are taking your time on this question, aren't you?" The fake Wolfmon laughed, a smirk continuously present.

"That, is none of your business." Kouji growled.

"Into the incest thing are you?" False Wolfmon asked, taking out a nail file and working his claws to his desire.

"You never said if you were or were not my Human Spirit, and here's your chance to prove if you are a liar or honest Digimon that was wronged." Kouji sighed. The false Wolfmon looked up in attention, curious to hear more of the proposition. "My spirits always knew exactly what I was thinking, even when they weren't with me. Kind of like a mind reader, right? What is my answer to the question I stated wasn't any of your concern?" He asked, arms crossed and business face set.

"It does make him your family, but you want to take him away from that area of friendship and into another direction. That may lead to him being a part of your family in a different way." The false Wolfmon said with a smirk. "It seems you have wronged me, Kouji." He chuckled.

"No, I'm into the incest thing." Kouji shrugged, startling the false Wolfmon.

"W-w-what? You're lying!" The fake growled, hairs standing unend.

"Why would I lie? After all, these questions determine whether I live or die, don't they?" Kouji asked coolly, causing the fake to growl all the more.

"Fine, but that's a nasty trick you pulled! No Spirits!" False Wolfmon snarled, then left in a misty vapor.

"You never were going to give me them, because those questions were meant for you to benefit from my answers. By the way, we both lied on that last question." Kouji added, and whirled around in a fury to face whoever was trying to sneak up on him.

"Whoa there!" A shadow chuckled. "Just coming to lead you back to the others!" It grinned. "Follow me!" With that, the shadow jumped out into the outside world and began running across the fields. Kouji watched it for a moment, then turned away and walked towards where the eye had let him in all those years ago.

"I'd rather do what I didn't do last time." Kouji said softly, Junpei's voice echoing in his ears. 'If it hadn't been for Patamon when he was in that egg, Takuya would be dead right now!' This time there was no Patamon in some stupid egg, but Kouji was aware something could be wrong. The eye reopened, making Kouji merely raise a brow in question before walking through.

"LET ME OUT!" Junpei hollered, banging roughly on the doors.

"Don't worry, it seemed Minamoto Kouji managed to outsmart our program. At least we know we need to be more careful now." The false Blitzmon chuckled.

"You again! Let me out!" Junpei hissed.

"Don't you love irony? I sure do… it's interesting, how the leader would always save his teammates lives. But when he needs saving, there's no one around. Then again, as they say life's a bitch and then you die." Here it chuckled again, making Junpei's blood boil.

"What did you freaks do?" Junpei growled.

"Nothing really, we need him for the Night Masters purposes. No need to worry over him really, nothing bad will happen to him. Though you may want to worry about your own safety, because we need Kouji as well. Don't you feel special, you are the only one that needs protection." It chuckled. 'What do they mean…?' "You obviously hadn't been around them enough to notice, but they're madly in love. Silly how they can't seem to notice how the other feels, but that's how it works. You can guess why we need Kouji, to get Takuya." It continued on. 'They do? That makes sense, but…' "I can't tell you why they need Takuya however, top secret." It said, giving a bored sigh. 'But… that means they need protecting too!'

"You do realize physical harm means nothing when it comes to love, right? Hope so, because personally they might need my help more than I need theirs!" Junpei said grinning, then charged at the false Blitzmon.

Glancing around, Kouji was slightly unnerved by the silence that lay everywhere in the hallways. It certainly wasn't the same thing it was back when they were twelve, that was for sure. The walls kept twisting and changing, refusing to stay the same. One moment it reminded him of Cherubimon's lair, and then it would look like Hamburgermon village. It was like it couldn't decide what form it wanted to take, making Kouji more and more confused. He stopped walking, and looked down in thought. Everything here held some sort of resemblance of what he remembered from the Digital World, and yet it was different. Shaking his head, he decided walking wasn't fast enough and took off in a run.

'Where are you?' He mentally wondered, then stopped as a hole opened in the wall. Blinking in confusion, he peeked in. What he saw made the panic rise, and he ran quickly over and skidded to a halt in front of Takuya's form. Either the brunette was sleeping… or… shaking those thoughts away, his hand shot down and grabbed Takuya's left wrist. Sighing in relief when feeling a pulse, he gently shook the brunette's shoulders. Paying more attention now, he noticed how cold the brunette was. Not surprising, the room was freezing and all three of them were hardly clothed for this temperature. Back home autumn was just beginning, and the days weren't hot or cold. Takuya had been wearing brown shorts and a red shirt, although something was missing now that Kouji paid attention. He almost laughed, almost that is.

When they had been dragged through the portal, Takuya never had a chance to grab his precious hat and goggles. Without them though, he just… didn't seem very Takuya-ish. Takuya-ish? Kouji shook his head, ignoring the fact he was using a rather peculiar word choice when saying that. Kouji himself was wearing loose jeans and just a blue short sleeve shirt; it was the only thing he had to wear after the funeral. Sighing, Kouji hung his head and gave a weary drop of his shoulders. They were tossed back into the Digital World, with no Spirits, and only three of them. It was the same day as Tomoki's funeral, and none of them were over that either. It still hurt when they thought of the small Warrior of Ice; the boy had always been a source of optimism for the group. Kouji still felt like he owed something to the young boy, especially because if it hadn't been for him, who knew if Takuya would have ever been able to get some control over his Beast Spirit.

Kouji's old bandana was in his pocket, seeing as it no longer fit him when he hit his growth spurt over the years. They all had, but Izumi had been first being the girl (why did they always go first anyway?). Junpei next, then Takuya, after him Kouji, and finally Kouichi. Shinya and Tomoki were just now starting theirs, which was somewhat creepy. It was also strange how at the end of it all Takuya and Kouji were still the same height. Kouji continued to gently shake Takuya, in hopes of waking while his thoughts wandered. He had always heard when older women were around each other enough; their periods would start to occur around the same time. If two boys were around each other enough, would their hormones follow a pattern and agreement on the similar ending traits? That was crazy though, the PMS thing and the height stuff was completely different. DNA couldn't be altered, but a woman could get it so she never had to worry about her period again. And why was he thinking about this any way?

"You just won't wake up, will you?" Kouji sighed, and shook Takuya's shoulders harder some.

"Nnnmm… five more minutes…" Takuya murmured, at peace in his dreams. Kouji felt a pang of guilt to wake him up to this… well not quite reality but worse than it and yet still reality… though he ignored it. Otherwise he'd have to warm Takuya up himself, and as nice as that would be it wouldn't be the greatest wake up call for the brunette. Or would it? …ignoring the half of his brain that wasn't exactly considerate, he shook Takuya's shoulders more roughly.

"Wake up all ready." Kouji growled.

"Join me." A voice whispered, and Takuya whirled around just to see nothing. Blinking in confusion, he looked around more for where it came from. Gasping when feeling something grab him, he shuddered as it felt like he was being pulled downwards, downwards to nowhere… "Join me." There was that voice again, but Takuya found he was too tired to find out where it was coming from, or to even ask why. What was the point? He was too tired to care by now. His eyes sliding closed slowly, what he thought was dreamland wasn't quite what was what he came to. Gravel was in front of his eyes, and something was shaking him. Groaning, he sat up and knocked whatever made him get up go away.

"About time you woke up." Kouji's voice said, and Takuya looked around to see… Kouji. The brunette felt so relieved that what he was seeing was the real Kouji that he could almost hug him. Almost, the brunette knew good and well just how much that might freak his friend out.

"Eheh, good to see you." Takuya said, grinning softly. It was true though, that was a weird dream. And what that Agnimon thing said certainly didn't put his nerves at ease at all… wait, how did he know this wasn't a dream? So confusing…

"Now all we have to do if find Junpei, and we're out of here." Kouji sighed, and then stood up.

"That's my line." Takuya grumbled, standing up as well.

"I was saying it for you, oh fearless one." Kouji chuckled with a roll of his eyes; ignoring the glare he got in return for that.

"I'm sure you were." Takuya sighed.


	9. Before the Holiday

**Notes**: This is not a romance. Thiswas just me relinquishing a bunch of pent-up negative emotions. Okay? Okay. Also, the Point-of-View keeps switching between first and third person. This **is** intentional. If it gets confusing, I'm sorry. I wrote this before Christmas, so in a way it was a tragic Christmas story... it has grammaritcal errors because only SpellCheck was run, and it didn't catch all the errors. This is only maybe four months old, tops.

Vive – For how long

_Who are you, to decide who lives and who dies? _I wondered to myself, walking along the cold winter streets of Shibuya. _Who are you to decide, who we meet… and upon their departure, how long we cry? _The thought continued, the icy winter air blowing in my face. _Who are you…? _The last question floated through my mind. Closing my blue eyes, I kept walking and my thoughts to myself. Despite the snow falling slowly from the sky like tiny apparitions, the feel of winter wasn't exceptionally strong. The cold did not 'nip' at her nose like the Christmas jingles claimed. She did not want warm arms keeping her safe from 'Jack Frost'. The weather wasn't even frightful… it was comforting, in a haunting sort of way. I knew I was a morbid girl. Thinking that way, especially at Christmas!

A small kitten limped over; it's paws perhaps growing numb from all the snow it was stepping on. Blinking curiously at it, I peered closer. It had shaggy gray fur, with black blotches on it's ears, tail, and paws. It's green eyes were wide and curious, leaning forward with its nose jutted out to catch a whiff of her scent. Perhaps a small kitten could sense whether a person was safe or not, entirely by smell only. Perhaps it was only curious what she smelled like, if it had met her once before. Reaching down she petted it, and almost instantly it began the soft murmuring purr only kittens had. Its e yes were closed, and curved in an upward fashion expressing it's content and joy from the gentle strokes of my hand.

Based on it's genially behavior, it belonged to someone. Perhaps a small little girl, talking animatedly to her parents about what she and Koneko wanted for Christmas. As the little girl did this, the kitten was outside doing its kitten thing without straying too far from its little girl's dwelling. I picked up the kitten, who then rubbing it's head against my cheek; startling me. The faint scent of cinnamon and gingerbread was on it, and as I squatted down it's purring continued. Hints of small mews emitted from it's throat, similar to a child first hearing of Santa Claus and explaining to their parents how they'll see the kind man while they drifted off to sleep. Their words becoming less and less understandable, until ultimately merely the child's mouth is moving and speaking the words of an endless imagination. The words all parents have forgotten, and smile to hear that familiar language once more; the language they comprehend no longer.

_You've no idea of the dangers all around you._ I thought, gently moving the kitten in my arms as I re-situated myself. I now had my legs drawn beneath me, my butt resting warmly on my now freezing feet. The kitten was cuddled in my arms; relishing the warmth my body gave it. _I could just squeeze your throat…_ I thought, placing my fingers behind its neck like a pillow, and I my thumb directly over its throat; the vibrations of it purring almost massaging the digit. _Push down, and in a few seconds flat you'd be dead._ However, I just moved my thumb up and down along its neck. All cats for some reason loved their chin to be scratched or rubbed. _Yet you trust me. A complete stranger, someone who just petted you once. And you trust me. As if there's no evil in the world, no cruelty. _I sighed, reveling at its ignorance. A type of ignorance no human child ever would have, because they had parents for at least the first sixteen years of their life. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

Cats, on the other hand, could leave their mothers usually somewhere around two-in-a-half months after birth. In cat years, that's not even seven years old. This was probably because the cat had better instincts than people. They could sense natural disasters, see through deception, and even perhaps the ghosts of people. Cats could very well have a sixth sense, a type that would allow them to see the auras of people. Yet, in spite of this they were unaware of the tsunami that hit southern Asia close to a year ago now. They would never know that sixty years ago a great war, more recognized as the Second World War, ended with cities ruined and lives devastated. The cats would never know that, because Izumi's grandmother had been exposed to the atomic bomb from afar and lived later died of leukemia. Through sheer luck the genetics that contained the disease was not inherited by Izumi, or her mother. All the cats knew, were that some nights Izumi would cry and she needed comfort. They'd never know she cried because she never met her grandmother; this woman who had painted the skies onto to paper.

_For you, the world is just a dream with obstacles. _She thought, and set the confused kitten down. It gave me a disgruntled look, and a short laugh escaped my lips. "Be careful." I told it. "Someone loves you, quite possibly more than you love them or even know. Don't ever leave them. Be careful." With a smile, I pushed its little kitten butt forward. It turned to look at me, and expression that practically said: _Love isn't defined by who has more._ As it trotted away, I resumed my walk down the winter streets. The soft pads beneath the kitten's feet silenced its return journey to the home it belonged too. Closing her eyes as she walked, the sounds of silence echoed in her ears. The world whirled beneath her, whispering secrets so softly she merely heard the blur of them rather than the words. Even though she could not understand it, she listened in any case. It never hurt to listen to what the world wanted to tell you. Gaea was always ready and eager to be heard by its inhabitants.

Walking through the desolate streets, she stopped and opened her eyes. She stared up at the sky, covered by clouds as it hid the stars selfishly. _No, these streets are far from desolate._ I thought, ignoring the wind blowing at my face again. _These streets have the snow. They have the buildings that keep us warm. The sleeping squirrels in their burrows… strays and domesticated animals. The kitten proved as much. _She gave a soft chuckle. _Just because **I** can't speak to the buildings, clouds, or snow does not mean the streets cannot. Just because the squirrels aren't in my view, does not mean they aren't there to hear you speak to them. _Ending her thoughts, she resumed her gave to what was in front of her. Street lamps glowing as if they were tiny suns trapped in strange poles, and settled snow glittering like the stars hidden by clouds.

_Besides, no one is alone._ Her thoughts came back, just like they always did when she was left to her own inner most confidential solitude. _Guardian angels, haunting demons, ghosts of loved ones…_I thought. _There's always someone with us, be they there for righteous reasons, mischievous reasons, or just plain because they love us._ Satisfied with this conclusion, she continued in her strolling. There was no reason for her to walk outside, she just did. In the distance, a screech pierced through the night. It was like the car was screaming in terror as its driver swerved it dangerously along the frozen streets. Eyes widening, I ran as fast as I could towards where it was. The feeling of fear made the adrenaline pump through my veins and energize my legs into working and my heart into beating faster.

Reaching the scene, the car immediately drove away in a rush; afraid. One of its tail-lights were out, but if the driver was still capable of taking their vehicle out from the pole it crashed into they must've been okay. _Idiots, drinking all their alcoholic eggnog._ She thought with disgust. As she rolled her eyes in utter revulsion, they landed on a red blotch. Panic rising again, she looked around to see if it was from the driver or some other source. Her heart skipped a beat, now two. There, lying crippled in the snow was a gray ball, curled. One of its legs was missing, and part of its side was ripped revealing red flesh beneath. Another of it's legs were bent in a manner Izumi was positive wasn't normal. She rushed over, and regardless of the blood seeping into her clothes she picked up the kitten. The cold biting ferociously at her watering eyes, she helplessly looked around her. Turning and turning, circles making circles she looked.

One second, two second, how long would its little heart pump? Three seconds, four seconds, whom could she run to so it could be saved? Five seconds, six seconds, was she already too late? Finding the tears spilling over her eyes, she began to cry and gently massage the kittens heaving body as it struggled to live, to breathe. Sobs racketed her body, and her knees turned to rubbed. Slowly, ever so gently… a rumbling could be heard. Whimpering without meaning too, she looked down at the kitten. Carefully moving her finger to its throat, she felt gentle vibrations of it purring. Crying out, the tears began falling faster.

"Please, don't purr… don't purr…" Izumi whimpered. "Save… s-save your strength." She told it, trying to sound firm but failing in her weakening state. "Please, don't die…" She cried, clutching the purring and bleeding kitten close to her chest. Rushing down the street, she ran blindly trying to find somewhere, anywhere for the kitten to be saved. What kind of sick bastard hit an innocent kitten and drove off anyway? Shaking her head, she cleared the irate thoughts away and concentrated on locating a vet or payphone. She shouldn't have left her cell phone at home! More tears fell, like the heavens raining on a funeral day. As she continued her distressed attempt in finding a sanctuary to rescue this kitten, she could still feel the faint vibrations of it's purring.

Reaching a street corner, she looked about wildly. Which way should I go? The kitten moved some, raising its good front paw up. It was almost as if it was trying to reach her face, to summon her to listen. She looked down at the bundle in her arms, the small innocent bundle. Her eyes meeting the kittens, the wisdom the world spoke to her not but ten minutes ago was translated. _When a cat purrs, it does not always signify they are happy or content. Without tear ducts, they cannot cry. So they convey their sorrow, their understanding through their purrs. When you cry yourself to sleep at night, they purr next to you so you know: I cry with you. When you find yourself out of tears, and still aching their purrs tells you: I continue to cry for you, because no matter how much you want too you can't. When you are beaten and pushed around, and refuse to cry they are at your home, purring their tears for you. _The blonde's lower lip quivered, finding her heart sink into the depths of despair, her blue eyes reading what the green ones had to say.

_I cry now, because you cry. You who so tenderly held me when my paws were cold. Don't be sad that my time came too soon. Be happy that I had time in this world at all. I'm happy to have met you madam, and I am happy people wanted me in their homes. Tell the little girl I wish I had the chance to meet, and to love her._ The last of its purrs faded away, the kitten no longer stirring, no longer struggling. It was at peace now, its soul flying away in the cold winter air. Though for a brief moment in time, the air was not cold. It was not warm. It was numb, as the blonde just stared at the dead body in her arms. That poor little girl… now without her kitten, all because of a careless driver. Blinking, her tears quickly she noticed a thin line of a collar around the kittens neck. Picking it up, she saw the license.

Taking a shaky breath, she read the address and began a slow tread towards the address. Reaching it, she knocked on the door and had her back turned to it when seeing people coming. A man, somewhere in his mid-twenties, answered. He has short black hair, and inquisitive brown eyes. Closing her eyes, feeling the soft body growing cold Izumi worked on her courage to tell him. To tell him his daughters kitten got hit by a car, and died before she could reach a vet or help. Swallowing saliva, she drew a shaky breath confusing the man even more.

"Did you… did you own a gray kitten, with blacks markings sir?" I asked in a shaky voice.

"Why yes… it was to be our daughter's Christmas present. She's out of town… so she doesn't know yet." He explained, before trying to peer around her. "Did you find it? We let him outside earlier, and he hasn't come back yet." He informed her. I wanted to just fall to the snow, let it's ice eat me alive. I didn't want to tell him… I didn't even want to believe it still.

"Earlier… while I was walking, I heard a car." Izumi began, and could sense the man's face growing fearful attributes. The wide eyes, the gaping mouth, the paling of one's skin… "When I checked it out, a c-car was driving away. I… I tried to find a vet. Or a p-payphone… I'm so sorry…" She broke out in sobs once more. "I don't know what to do… I just found its collar a-and… I don't even know w-w-why…" She was half-hiccupping, half crying at this point, no longer able to say anymore. The man turned her around, and his mouth set into a thin line seeing the body. He carefully took it from her.

"It wasn't your fault. I'm… I'm glad you told us. And brought it back… we can give it the proper burial at least." He said, looking down at the small body as his began to water as well. "I'm sorry you had to go through this… and sorry it had a short life." He squeezed his eyes shut. "Thank you… please don't be offended, but I'd like you to go now. All right?" He requested. The blonde meekly nodded, understanding his reasons. Walking away, the tears still fell and her heart still bled from its emotional wounds. In all my years to come, I could never hear a cat purring without thinking back on that night. I could never hear a cat purring, without wanting to cry. Since that night, I could never own a cat either. She told her friends about that night, and ever since they would go with her to visit that solemn street every early December, and pay a tribute to every soul that never made it to the day that celebrated friends, family, and life itself. While not everyone celebrates it for it's initial purpose, it is still celebrated. It is celebrated with joy and love in people's hearts, but unfortunately not everyone is able to do that. I spend my Christmas now, years later, alone yet not alone. My heart reaches out to the others who spend the holiday by themselves, whether by choice or because they feel they have no one for them. And I always think of those who didn't make it to that one special day, and celebrate their life, and hope to see them again when I come to that point in time where I never see that day come. Then I can truly spend the holidays with everyone I love, and more.


	10. Kira's Day

**Notes**: Now for those who read 'Realitycheck' and 'Ain't It Ironic' you'll know that Kira was a slightly off, but still rather sane person. In comparison to her cousin Cat, along with Cat's friends who were all very very crazy. But no one knows just what exactly Kira's normal, average day is like without insane cousins and anime characters getting tossed out of computers. So, let's take a peak at a day that happened before 'Realitycheck', but certainly after 'Ain't it Ironic'. This didn't have enough Digimon in this to be counted as a fanfiction by itself, but tossed in a bundle with other fanfictions and how it's a slight branch-off it can be uploaded here without going against the rules.

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**Written**: Springtime 2005? **Rating**: K+ **Title**: Kira's Day 

The morning

An alarm began blaring off, beeping nonstop over and over again. Kira growled, and her head reached out and attempted to strike at the beeping noise. But she had specifically put her alarm clock on the other side of the room so that she wouldn't break this one (it was her fiftieth one in the past two months), so rather than smack the annoying thing her hand rammed into the wall. Squeaking, she rolled out of bed and onto the floor. The beeping continued, but she sighed and snuggled into the carpet finding it a great deal more comfortable than her bed. Drool came out of her mouth as she mumbled, "I told you your dad would like God…" That didn't make any sense. Was she dreaming about meeting the creator of the universe? That's a strange thing to dream about, unless she was referring to the creator of Digimon. We all dream about that though. Along with Toei Animation giving it to us to do with as we please… heeheehee…

"KIRA! GET UP!" Her mother yelled. No response. "…did you forget about the strawberries?" Came a question, and a loud shriek echoed through the house. Kira was suddenly in her kitchen, now latched onto her moms arm.

"Don't let them get me!" She cried. Ever since she read a fanfic called 'It hurts', she had been terrified that a strawberry would try and rape her. It was scary!

"What's wrong with strawberries? You used to eat them everyday…" Her mother said, patting her twitching daughter on the head.

"…death… death… death… death…" Kira whimpered.

"Uhm… hey, why don't you get ready for school? I'll drive you to school so you can hang out with your friends, Kyle and Rin." Her mother said, making Kira twitch even more. Oh, 'Shimaru'! Falling down into hysterical sobs, Kira began incoherently whispering about everything out to get her. Hmm, fanfictions have a horrible impact on the girls mental status, don't they? Look at the phobias they created! "I'll make you scrambled eggs." The mother offered, somewhat fearful of her daughters condition. Every morning it got worse… why, just yesterday her daughter started screaming about how coffee was going to turn Anna from Shaman King into an insane and hyper wacko strangling everyone until she found Yoh. At this rate, her daughter was going to fear all kinds of food.

"…death… death… STRAWBERRIES! …death… death… death… GOD! …death… death…" Kira whimpered, crawling into the main bathroom. Her mother scratched her head, and momentarily wondered if perhaps this was a cry for help. Ever since Kira went to Catholic churches she suddenly was afraid of crackers. Maybe they should revert back to Baptist?

"…well, better start on those eggs." Kira's mom sighed. If only she knew that later on due to an incident with Takuya being forced to cook Kira would develop a horrible phobia of eggs.

At school

Kira walked into the school bouncing along, all of this mornings paranoia gone for the moment. A moment later, a streak ran by her followed by a shout and another streak. She had recognized the green-ish streak as Kyle, and the blackish-bluish streak as Rin. Who is Rin you ask? Her friend, that's who… and the reason they were friends was quite easy really. They both were paranoid, although it had been agreed upon by all it was only a matter of time before Rin's paranoia mixed with mood swings would land her in a mental institution.

"YOU FIEND! TAKE THAT BACK!" Rin shrieked. She wore a large black shirt that said, 'I have just kidnapped myself, give me one million dollars or you'll never see me again', and large baggy jeans with a ton of pockets. Her hair was in a braid, she was wearing her brown boots. Kira blinked, tilting her head trying to figure out what was happening this time. The blue-haired girl was wearing a blue shirt with a red dragon on it, and shorts, her hair in a fairly high ponytail.

"It's true!" Kyle answered, and stopped before dodging to the side. A moment later a loud smack came, and Rin fell down. She had ran right into the wall, and was now twitching on the ground.

"…pain… lots of it… dude… I think I can see Sephiroth…" Rin said, not sounding injured at all.

"What'd you say this time?" Kira asked, raising a brow at Kyle.

"Uhm… well, she said 'Did you know I'm not a man?' and I answered, 'Really? Could have fooled me…' and then she got very mad at me." Kyle explained. Kira blinked. She had the most petrified expression ever.

"…death… death… death… death… STRAWBERRIES! …death… death…" She said, shaking uncontrollably. Kyle sighed, and shook his head.

"…strawberries? See! SEE! I told you they would take over the world with the help of the smiley-face from WalMart! I TOLD YOU! HAH! They will enslave you all, and I'll lead a force of freedom fighters against them! And then Chewbacca will control the Force, and like… DUDE! IT'D BE SO AWESOME!" Rin said, and cackled maniacally eyes insane.

"…cornbread." Kyle sighed.

"AHHH! NO! It burns! Exit the window Nikki! Please! NO! I DIDN'T KNOW THAT! No! Bad Naruto! Don't eat that! Oh… living life! It burns!" Rin screamed, and began crying nonstop. "Sephiroth! How could you! No! Move away from that! No! It's not right! That's… no!" She cried, shuddering violently.

"You want Suikoden III?" Kyle sighed, and Rin immediately latched onto him.

"You are the love of my life." She stated.

"You two are so silly." Kira stated, smiling at them.

"No, Yuffie is." Kyle corrected Rin.

"…" Rin said nothing to that. Okay then…

"Right, before things get scarily awkward, let's go." Kira suggested.

In class

Kira was doodling a picture of Takuya and Kouji, having missed them ever since they returned to the Digital World. Suddenly, a bright light entered her eyes. Blinking, she glanced up and saw something beautiful… it was so beautiful… Kira could use no words to describe it. She just wanted to… touch it… feel it… pet it… call it her pet fluffykins and hug it forever… the beauty of this light entranced her. Oh, if you could only see it! The way it was just so… shiny. So pretty…

"Kira? Uh… miss Kira? Hello?" The teacher asked, waving his hand in front of her. With a face full of confusion, he looked over to see what held her attention so much. In front of her a guy was spinning his CD on his finger, and it was upside down so the part that the players read was reflecting the light. Sighing, the teacher made the child put it away and Kira began sobbing nonstop. This happened everytime... and caused the teacher a great deal of problems. For some reason, the girl became distracted by the shiny object, and then after five seconds developed a weird love-like attachment to it. It was really creepy, but that was okay.

"N-n-no!" Kira cried. "You can't have Inu-Yasha's shiny! It's his!" She sniffled, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her classmates exchanged glances, and decided to not ask. The last time they did, they themselves developed a chronic fear of strawberries.

At lunch

"Oh, what are you writing?" Kira asked, leaning over Rin's shoulder. The girl turned around, a strange glazed insane look on her face.

"Hehehe… heheheheheheheheh… heheheheheheheheheheheh…" She chuckled, looking like she had just lost her mind. Again.

"If it's that story with Kouji adopting a baby, no." Kyle warned.

"Heheh… read it… I updated…" Rin said, grinning darkly and holding out the papers to Kyle.

"I said no! NO! Gruonge scares me! A lot… get it away…" Kyle whimpered.

"Oh, may I read?" Kira asked curiously.

"NO! Kira! Don't!" Kyle warned. "You're too innocent! Rin, don't corrupt her! Don't! I'll kill you!" He threatened.

"Corrupt? Oh, you're so silly Kyle." Rin stated, laughing at him. See, what no one knew was that Rin actually had a duo personality. She never remembered what she wrote, and only knew she wrote it because of her hand-writing. Thus, she didn't realize that what had been done was capable of corrupting someone.

"Don't worry so much, I'm sure the story is perfectly safe." Kira laughed, and began to read the stories. Soon afterwards, Kira's fear of fire ants skyrocketed, and Kyle was now forced to carry her around because ants are everywhere.

Classes again

Writing down notes, Kira permitted her mind to wander to other things. How was her cousin Cat and her friends doing? She couldn't wait for the summer when she'd be visiting her cousin, Cat was fun to hang out with. Not even knowing it, she started to write down random things on her paper. That's what happens when you space out, you start doing things you don't even realize you're doing until it's too late. Her head began to bob from side to side as she heard the 'Hey Digimon' theme play in her head, and now she was officially lost to rAnDoM zone…

"Kira!" The teacher hissed, startling the blue-haired girl out of her thoughts. "So, you just think you can draw pictures of you and these… Takuya and Kouji people… stabbing strawberries while yelling profane words!" He snarled.

"…huh?" Was her intelligent response.

"That's it, no shiny gold star for you today!" He snarled. Kira broke down for the second time that day, blaming her problems on MakubeX. Also, due to the manga GetBackers she now had a phobia of dogs and pregnant women. Remembering that, she fell into shrieks and cries, mumbling death over and over again. Her classmates scooted their desks away.

After school'

"Hey Kira!" A random person called, running over. She turned around and smiled at them, recognizing the person immediately. It was Henteko, one her friends. He had dyed his hair silver, and was one of the few people who pulled it off to actually look silver, rather than gray. His blue eyes sparkled, and he was wearing a white shirt with jeans. His hair was in three ponytails, although Kira could never quite understand how or why he did that. It just looked… weird…

"What is it?" She asked.

"Have you seen Damité?" Henteko asked. The person in question was his older brother, who would give him rides to and from school. Kira blushed slightly, she had a crush on the older guy. But no one knew that. If anyone did, they'd DIE! Oh yes, how they would suffer! Not even the strawberries could scare her away from her prey if anyone knew other than herself! DEATH!

"No, sorry." She said apologetically.

"It's all right, thanks anyway." Henteko said, and waved before running off. Oh, one day Damité would know she had a crush on him… and if he didn't like her back, she kidnap him and hire some geek off the internet to let her force him to marry her. Yup. And Rin would be her bridesmaid, while they both forced Kyle to be the best man…

"AHHHHH! NO! NOT CORNBREAD! GET IT AWAY!" Rin screamed, and ran by being chased by Kyle who was laughing evilly. Kira grinned, and chased after Kyle.

"Ohh Kylie! Kylie-wily-shyly!" Kira called laughing, and instantly her male friend stopped and looked at her horrified.

"Never in public!" He yelled.

At home

Kira worked on her homework, and after completing it smiled proudly. She didn't get distracted! Yay! Glancing at her computer, she smiled and got online. Now to go on fanfiction dot net to see if anyone updated their stories. Hers was complete, and at the moment she had nothing to write so she read. Tilting her head, she clicked a fanfiction she hadn't seen before. Not long afterwards, her mom discovered that Kira was now terrified of carrots, and everytime she saw one she'd repeatedly say it wasn't natural. With how many phobia's Kira has, it's strange how they never surface when she's around people she doesn't see on a regular basis. And it's a wonder she doesn't get distracted nonstop by shiny objects. Oh well, that's the end of Kira's day!


	11. Never Titled

**Notes**: I didn't beat FFX until several weeks after I wrote this. Eheh... this is an Auron/Tidus one-sided pairing... thing... no, I don't know what I was on. Yes, I an assure you it wasn't lemonade. Maybe it was cream soda... that does some weird crap to your brain. XD

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**Title**: Never Titled **Written**: January 2003 **Rating: **K+

Many people have told me of the great things the world has. Love and devotion, friendship and loyalty. They've told me how when you sail the open seas and feel the salty air rush through your hair and against your body how it engulfs you in its warmth and permits the heart to soar so freely and not have a care in the world. How the sun gives us all a tender kiss in the morning to reward us for wakening in time for the breakfast to still be sweet and crisp in your mouth and melt upon your hungry tongue and make you delighted with the sweet tastes on your taste buds. How the sun gives you a goodnight kiss for being good and doing all your chores and not disobeying your parents. They even told me how the moon requests to gain the light from the sun to make my path appear before me and to guide me to where I truly belong. Why, they even said that the summoners that traveled so long and hard to defeat Sin did their duties joyously and brought everyone the Calm.

These people lied to me, and to this day I wish they had not. I grew up believing the sun was there to give you comfort, but as I grew it slowly became more noticable how the sun hid behind the clouds everytime something upsetting occurred. They said the moon guided you at night, but I noticed the moon would die when I needed help. You cannot go on the open seas for Sin is waiting for you, and when you do go on them the fear of being killed by the creature is so great you do not notice the sweet winds and your heart is pounding so badly it cannot go free. I've seen devoted loved ones intentionally sacrifice each other in order to save their own miserable lives, and not regret it. Friends whom you thought were loyal abandon you in the greatest time of need. Alas, and of course the summoners, the biggest lies I've ever known. They go through long, hard, painful, and perilous journeys. The reward? You die, and the person whom you hold the greatest bond with becomes the next Sin, and the Calm you brought is thrown away a few years later. Really, Spira is an endless cycle of death that never stops.

If there is one wish I can have granted, any wish whatsoever. Do you know what it would be? Back in Zanakan, you were so happy, and nothing could bring down your spirits. With the exception of losing the Blitzball Tournament that is. Here though, you've matured and while in some ways it is good, in a way it scares me. And brings upsetting thoughts. Kimahri told me, how you loved Yuna. When he saw you two kissing in the lake he watched you both, and then came to talk to me about it. While it is true I am a man of fewer words, he is one with even fewer. And because of this, he notices everything and had a feeling that he knew more about me than you ever could. I remember it well, because it was something that caused me to start looking at you differently for both our sakes. Kimahri came to me, and stood still behind me for a moment to get my attention. The Ronso knew that I knew he was behind me, he was not someone to fool.

"He is Yuna's." Kimahri said blankly. I stood there looking at him, and said nothing. The Ronso would do anything to protect little sweet Yuna, even if it meant forbidding something to a 'legendary guardian'.

"And?" I ask, testing to see if Kimahri knew what he claimed, or if he just felt like trying to get information from a hunch.

"They love eachother, it is not your place. Kimahri saw them share hearts through a gentle gesture, and he knows that he is Yuna's now." The Ronso continued as if I had not asked a thing. Again, empty staring.

"I never said he wasn't." My reply was the same as it always is, cool and sounding as if this made no difference to anything. But it made a large difference. In fact, it changed many things.

"Do not try to change that. Kimahri knows, he watches everyone and knows more than you think." The Ronso then left with that, and I merely went back to contemplating how we would get to the ruins of Zanarkan. Mind you, the knowledge I had gained was enough to drive me mad, but it was ignored because Kimahri was right. You were hers, and she was yours in a way that I could never obtain with you. Don't think I have no love for Yuna, she is as important to me as you are, but I love her not as I do you. When this feeling came is unknown, but I would say when your father decided it was time for your story. To see you upset… was something that no one would ever care to see. You are someone with such personality that to see you cry is heart-wretching. It's always been that way.

Remember when I first came? Your mother cared not who I was when you first saw me. She was slowly dying on the inside, and for all she cared this man who claimed to be a friend of her husband could have been a rapist. She was thin and pale, and just from looking at her one could tell sorrow would soon consume her soul so badly her life would end in an ungracious manner. Then I saw you, ten years younger than you are now. You too looked slightly unhealthy, but much better than your mother was. One could at least tell you would make it so long as there was someone to show you how to continue taking care of yourself. For the first two weeks I was there, you all but ignored me for I had a relation to the man who done this to your precious mother. You constantly tried to gain her attention, and when you did manage to tear her from the view to the ocean all she did was look at you and break down crying, her weak frame being overcome by anguish and sobs. It worried you and then you would try to cheer her up.

Cheer… how peculair in the future you would learn to use that very magic. Watching the scene, and even though I knew it was a dream of the Fayth, it did not stop me from slowly becoming emotionally attached. You did not cry as often as your father said, but you did cry when your mother slowly started to not even know you existed. You'd yank on her sleeve, then beg her to just look at you. She never did. Two days before she died, she moved to her bed, and then lay there. You never left her side, and I worried over you both. My friend asked me to watch over you both, and there you two were being eaten alive just because one man couldn't help that the Yunalesca could be so cruel.

It was quite a task to make you eat, because you wouldn't unless she did, and she didn't even know what reality was anymore. Before she died, the only word uttered from her parched throat and mouth was 'Jeckt'. It was not you. It was not an apology. It was the name of a man who treated you unfairly and the one who died and caused your mother this pain. You could not understand, and therefore threw the biggest tantrum I've ever seen. I checked her pulse, and was dismayed to find there was none. I called the doctor. They came, shook their heads, and explained the news to her son.

You then shed the most tears. When you ran to me and started punching my abs with your tiny fists, crying for her to come back and not be gone forever I merely stood there. The damage you inflicted was nothing to the sad sight of a small boy losing his mother, much like a young girl who had lost her father. Besides, I had fought alongside with Braska, those little hits were nothing compared to the ones I've received from Imps. Although, the Imps usually just used Thundaga, but this is besides the point. Eventually you calmed down and leaned against me, tears running down your chubby cheeks and the occasional sniffle.

"Why'd she leave?" Your voice sounded so distant and lost, and because I knew the situation and the reasons this happened, made my heart sag.

"She wanted you both." I whispered in reply, and gently placed my hand on top of your hand. Instead of smacking it away, you did not make any movement.

"She didn't need him! She had me, isn't that enough?" Your voice rose, and quavered a little. You were more upset than angry, but this was the easiest way for you to release your sorrow at the moment.

"For her it wasn't. She was so used to having you both around, when one of you left it was very different. When you grow accustomed to something, it's strange to not have it around." I tried to explain without causing your temper to flare. Being as young as you were, this was slightly confusing but it was comforting to know she did not die merely because she loved Jeckt and could care less about you. Thinking back about this now, I have the greatest urge to call that woman a bitch for hurting you so, but then you'd get offended. It was like that later, though over time you began to realize if you got a scraped knee you'd have to get over it, because I wasn't mommy nor was I 'that man'. Pretty much I merely helped you do what was needed, and beyond that if you wanted someone to kiss your booboos you'd have to find somebody else.

You grew up, and the mind-set of showing Jeckt you could be better than him kept you fascinated with blitzball until you too became a player. I went back to Spira for awhile, the last time I saw you your team lost because of you and I told you so. Sin returned. The night all of the people in Zanarkan (the dreamed one) had been waiting for, the one with Jeckt's son one full decade after his father deceased. Ruined by the man everyone had loved with all their hearts. After being gone three months, and I saw you again there was something different about you. No longer were you Jeckt, my best friend's, son. Now, you were a young man being thrown into something way over your head. When we got seperated, at the time it never occurred to me why worry was overflowing, nor why I searched endlessly until I found you.

You're not sure what to make of me, are you? So many times because of what has come forth from my mouth has flared your anger so. The entire fact that I know what's going to happen really doesn't help, but some things must be done. One day, you will understand. We're not far from Yunalesca now, and the closer we get the harder it is to go on. When you learn what I have, because you love Yuna you will most likely challenge the Reaper of Souls, and it will be a hard battle. Just so you know though, that so long as you are there, and Yuna is behind you and you each are happy, whatever you choose makes no difference. Your paths are clouded, but once you learn more for yourselves, I can guide your paths with more efficiency, because the moon cannot stay dead forever. Your love is like the sun in the morning and evening, rewarding. Come to think of it, maybe those people weren't so wrong after all.

Disclaimer: Nope. Do not own Final Fantasy X, nor I have beaten it yet. 0o;;

A/N: Aww… Auron likes Tidus! Does that make him a pedafile? Goes deep into thought then shrugs Aww well, it's like asking if Sephiroth would have been born if Jenova never existed. Likes making references to FFVII Well, not quite but… wonder if this should be a story or a one-shot? Damn Seymour. He ish a pain in the ass to defeat the third time… until you remember after a few battles there's such thing as aeons with overdrives. .0 Me not so intelligent… wheeee for ramblings! You have any? Ramble, rant, bitch, whatever! Or, betterly known as: R&R please! Or R&F!


	12. oh my?

**Notes**: An entire story in one-shot. That is true boredom lol. Koukuya (hahah, of course) with yet again another vampire theme! As a warning, you will see me talking to Takuya and Kouji is ((these)) through the entire thing because... I'm a dork and... yeah... yeah. That one summer I was having this disturbing vampire obsession, wasn't I? As a random factoid, somehow or another I've ceased being a pervert and actually am not fond of lemons anymore. Is that... normal? I mean, hentai humor is always good but... wow... people DO change a lot in only two years. Weird. O.o

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**Title**: None, but the filename was 'Oh My' **Rating**: M **Written**: Summer of 2004 

It was one fiery instant after another, and by the time it occurred to Kouji what he was doing it no longer truly mattered. Takuya didn't fight it, and there was nothing to stop them. Well, to be truthful there was something that could stop them and did. One of the many servants that kept the vampire aware of all the problems existing outside of his hidden home walked through the door, not really expecting much of anything. After all, he was but a mere servant who knew not what Kouji did in his free time, nor of that new companion Kouji had recently acquired. ((Takuya: …you make me sound like an object. HP: Don't worry, Kouji doesn't see it that way. Takuya: It's not him I question… HP: What's THAT supposed to mean? Takuya: -Rolls eyes- Get back to your stupid writing.)) What the servant stumbled upon was rather a startling scene, for he wasn't really expecting it. On the silken bed was Takuya beneath Kouji, his arms wrapped around the black-haired enigma's neck, his legs spread out and Kouji between them. The two were fully clothed by the way you hentais… ((Kouji: I see… I see… HP! Stop imaging yaoi damnit! HP: Aww… you are no fun! Takuya: Kouji, she is a Chibi Saga. 0.0 Kouji: …so this means I can kill her? Takuya: Hey! I called dibs a looong time ago there buddy! HP: o0; I still find it amazing I lived past my fifteenth birthday, and confused why no one understands. Takuya: -Reves up a chainsaw- Heeheeheee…))

Kouji had been placing gentle kisses, licks, and nips all over Takuya's neck, while the brunette held his eyes closed in sheer pleasure, letting Kouji do as he pleased. Kouji's arms went under Takuya's back, and felt the smooth skin beneath the fabric with his hands, roaming about. The dumbfounded servant realized neither noticeded he had come in, and looked from left to right. He wasn't honestly sure if he should interrupt, mostly because he didn't want to burst into flame… ((Kouji: -Sweat dropping as HP runs in fear of Takuya's wrath- Sometimes I wonder what ever gave that girl the notion I was the seme… not that I'm complaining, but the more I watch the more I wonder…)) Mustering up his courage, and swallowing a large amount of saliva, and took a deep breath.

"S…s… sir Kouji?" He asked carefully, trying to not shake. Slowly, Kouji's blue eyes opened and he ceased what he was doing, and Takuya opened his eyes. They looked at eachother for a moment, then Kouji's gaze traveled to the servant.

"Yes?" Kouji asked, not holding any intention to harm the servant at all. Why should he? Never before did anyone know they had to knock… in fact, they never did in the past. Why get mad at someone who didn't know?

"Uh, sorry to intrude sir, but there's a problem and I was sent to get you. Are you too busy to… come?" The servant asked, and he glanced quickly at Takuya then to the one he served. Kouji then looked at Takuya, and almost chuckled.

"No, wait for me outside." Kouji replied, and the servant nodded his head before walking outside. The black-haired one then looked back at Takuya, who was raising a brow at him. Kouji gave a small smile then pecked Takuya on the lips, before getting up, the brunette following. ((Kouji: Nooo! Takuya: Why? Why'd you make us stop? TT HP: Missing an arm, where blood is spurting out Oh, I don't know… Kouji: Demonic fiend, die! Kouji starts chasing HP Takuya: Sweat drops as HP is crying as she runs away I'd feel bad for her if I didn't hate her so damned much…)) Personally, if Kouji had the choice he'd give up every last thing he had to be with Takuya for all eternity. Whatever it was that made Kouji love the boy so much, he didn't know, and he didn't really care.

To be truthful, Takuya coming to him was not merely an accident, but something of fault. Who knew bad things could bring something so perfect and needed? For years the village he had guarded said he needed someone to be with him, so that he would no longer be alone. He brushed this off, believing he was perfectly fine alone. The times when he'd wish someone was there to hear him, he hid inside his mind, and ignored the nagging it brought when it resurfaced. One day, someone in the village was kidnapped, it was his servant's son. The servant's, 'precious gem', if you will. Something so priceless, something you need more than anything else. Kouji, felt compelled to help, after all the servant only gave loyal services for who knows how long. Out he set, to find this child that brought happiness into his old servant's life. A many time had the servant told great stories about his beloved child, and Kouji had listened, even though the servant thought he was asleep. In reality, Kouji barely slept an hour, it didn't bother him one bit. He marveled at the simplicity that mortal humans lived, and at what so simple could bring them such joy.

His searching and questioning took him far beyond the village territory, and the neighbors territory. Along his way, Kouji learned a few very important things about the people who had kidnapped the son. One was that they were slave traders. Two was that the slaves they sold, was generally to people who treated the slaves like objects and things to be… 'played' with if you will. The third thing was, supposedly the gang of slave-traders were protected by a supernatural creature, something so powerful not even an enraged poltergeist could stand up against it. If the creature did exist, Kouji wished to know more about it and forget about his village. Speak with the creature, and wander around for a few centuries again. To be honest, Kouji was around four-thousand years old, but time did not truly matter to him, and his own kind most likely had forgotten he ever existed. After all, the last any of them even heard a whisper of him was from his brother, who had died many years ago. Was it one or two thousand years ago? The vampires thought Kouji had burnt up too, but it was not so,

No matter, either way Kouji was going to have something interesting occur to him, and whatever it was did not matter. If he died, well he did and that really did not matter. ((Kouji: -Holding a bloody knife- Can we get back to me and Takuya's quality time now? HP: xX …give me… a bit… blood… whoeeeoeooe… -Passes out from bloodloss- Takuya: Way to go Kouji…)) One day, he was following their trail when he smelt the blood of mortals nearby. He smelled soiled blood, innocent blood, and the rare nuetral blood. The blood that wasn't really evil, but it wasn't good either. Soiled blood was that of blood that did cruel, and hateful things, while innocent was well… self-explainitory. Walking around the forest carefully and silently, it was when he had first seen Takuya. Two men were holding him down on the forest floor, while one hovered over him like a starving vulture. The brunette, seemingly was not taking any sort of liking to this situation, and was fighting them as hard as one could.

Yes, to Kouji the brunette was a beautiful human, and it made sense why someone would want him. But Kouji really didn't give a damn if you were the fucking prettiest thing on earth, if your personality sucks stay the hell away from him. Back to the story, Kouji wasn't really hungry, and it wasn't his business. He was about to move on, but something about the brunette made him stay around. Perhaps it was the fiery temperment that caught Kouji's eye, generally humans would give in and cry, or scream. No, the brunette was twisting and swearing, and letting out threats. The three men merely laughed him off, knowing well they had a full advantage and that no matter what filthy words came out of such a pretty mouth it was no true threat. Brown eyes with a red tint to them, creating a surreal resemblence to flames preparing to destroy acres of trees and life. Whenever the man hovering over him though tried to get to close, he would snap out at him, as if trying to bite his head out. This constantly made the vulture-like mad move quickly away from the snarling boy.

If he tried to touch him anywhere, the brunette's legs would just spontaneously flail out and hope to hit something, no they HIT something alright. Be it the mans legs, stomach, or jaw. After awhile of the three men fighting with him, the brunette finally managed to get the right spot: Vulture man's hardening erection. The high-pitched scream of pain that echoed throughout the forest pierced everywhere, and Kouji nearly had to cover his ears. Nearly. Holding his crotch in his pain, the man stumbled backwards, eyes crossing in the throbbing pain created by an enraged teen who didn't want to be touched by them in any way. A victorious smirk came on the brunettes face, and at the other two's momentary shock, he tried to escape. That is, try. When feeling the sudden movement, the two snapped back to the 'prize' that was trying to run away, and grabbed him by the waist before slamming his body into the ground, thoroughly knocking the wind out of the boy. Lost in a short daze from the breath having forcefully left his lungs, the brunette lay staring with confusion around him. He shook his head and the situation returned, before he again tried to get away from them.

By now, the two men were determined to not let the brunette get away. The one suffering in the pain, slowly came over, his steps tender and careful. He had a cruel, and hateful look which didn't hold the slightest effect on the brunette. It seemed the teen wasn't going to regret ever that he did that, and only hoped the guy got nuetured by some random chance. The vulture man wasn't at all pleased at what occurred, and it must've angered him to no end at all. His eyes glared down at the cussing boy, threatening a very painful, and very horrible fate before him. Still, the brunette did not heed, and Kouji was finding this personality very alluring. Maybe it was the fact the brunette refused to bend to anyone's will. Maybe it was the flare this boy had that Kouji never seen in anything; alive or dead. Maybe it was merely how something was attractive was matched only by the violence radiating from the teen. Whatever it was, Kouji wanted to see it last longer than until these men ensured having their way with him. If anything, a mortal with so much spirit should not be broken no matter what the dangers it may cause.

"Listen _boy_, you are going to behave…" Vulture man said venomously, but the brunette continued his best struggle, despite the odds. "Or else I'll ensure this will be more painful than pleasurable on your part." He growled, continued.

"Go fuck your dog, at least it won't bite back." The brunette snarled back at him, and vulture man got so red in the face Kouji nearly attacked the guy merely for the fact of looking the color of blood. "Hey, it might even be nicer because you look like a damn lobster and the dog would _want_ to eat you!" He continued, merely enraging vulture man further. Fuming, he began to shake, holding back his rage to rip the brunette limb from limb. Again, such filth was coming from something so pure and lovely… this most likely was what was alluring Kouji the most.

"You little…! Fine, have it your way. After we get done to you, the traders will happily take you and sell you to the damn whorehouse!" He scowled, and here he had a gleam in his eye. The traders? Well, this most likely meant the slave traders Kouji was looking for, so why not? Getting up from the bushes, the two men holding the brunette down looked up when seeing someone approach. "What do you want?" Vulture man sneered. Kouji's eyes flickered to the brunette, then back to him.

"Your clothes, money, and directions to where I may find these traders." He responded simply enough. The brunette wasn't paying attention to this new person, but he was fidgeting and still uselessly trying to get away. Such spirit…

"What? You miserable little…!" Vulture man hissed, angered at his honesty and how he said it as if Kouji really thought he'd give it to the black-haired one. Kouji stood there calmly, not truly fearing him. Humans are dangerous, but this one was pretty stupid. You never rape someone in the open, it just made no sense. Sure, they were in a forest but still… He approached Kouji and took out a knife, and as he lowered it with all his force the vampire stepped aside and allowed it to miss and vulture man stumble forward. He whirled around to watch Kouji, and when he came again, with speed Kouji grabbed the hand he used to attack with the knife, and twisted it behind his back before pushing him ahead. A small smile on the vampiric face as if this were a fun little game, mostly to tick him off. He glowered at Kouji, and tried again, except this time the black-haired one rammed him into the tree. He slumped forward, dizzied and probably seeing swirling black spots appearing all over his vision. He wasn't hit it hard enough to cause permanent damage or knock him out, merely daze him.

Figuring he might as well help out the brunette, and use the excuse he didn't want the two lumberjacks to cause him any problems, Kouji grabbed one and tossed him maybe forty yards away. The other, with the brunette in tow tried to run off, but with a swift kick in the shin the man dropped the brunette and hopped holding the injured leg. The man then hobbled away, and the brunette then turned on Kouji with a mixture of distrust and curiousity.

"I could have handled them." Takuya muttered to himself.

"Don't flatter yourself, I came to ask where the traders were." Kouji replied simply, and walked over to the vulture man.

"I'm not. Merely referring to if you waited I would have taken them down." The brunette shot back, and Kouji nearly smiled at how much pride the brunette had.

"If I did, you would have been raped and they would have been gone." Kouji responded to his words calmly, and from his eye's corner he saw the brunette turn red slightly, obviously hoping Kouji didn't know what they were trying to do. When the brunette said no more, Kouji shook the shoulders of the dazed vulture man. He shook his head, then tried to shrink back away from Kouji.

"Fine, a-anything you want!" Vulture man stammered, feeling helpless without his two large lumberjacks to protect him. He started to undress himself when Kouji motioned for him to stop.

"I was not serious about the clothing part, by all things holy do keep that on. I prefer to not see what you do not have." Kouji sighed, and at the insulted and enraged look, all it took was a glare to make it go away into fear.

"Fine, my money!" He wailed ,and threw it all on the ground. Kouji absentmindly picked it up, his eyes locked on the vulture man.

"And the location of the traders…?" Kouji asked, trailing his sentence.

"I don't know, it was just an empty threat I said to the boy!" Vulture man cried, and Kouji almost looked away in disgust. Kouji had a feeling if he looked at the brunette, he would either be fuming or be standing there blushing. He still smelt the innocent blood, which was belonging to the brunette, so he was still standing there. The man Kouji had flung was neutral, while the one who ran away was soiled, just as was this vulture man before him.

"I don't believe you; now you tell me or you'll see just how easily I can rip your arms out of their beloved sockets!" Kouji said in a cold whisper, so that only the vulture man could hear. He then burst in tears, blubbering nonsense with the tear so far Kouji was amazed he didn't drown in them.

"They are at the edge of the forest. Tonight's an auction night and if you bring in anyone before then you'll get paid good tomorrow." He wailed, causing Kouji to sigh and shake his head. This was disgusting, and now after seeing this Kouji wouldn't be the least bit surprised if vulture man did drag the almost broken spirited brunette there just to be sold off to some other lecherous person.

"Ah, then let's be thankful you didn't meet me there." The black-haired vampire said with a cruel smile and got up, leaving the weeping man to himself. He then proceeded back into the thicket of the trees, before he heard the brunettes voice.

"Hey! Wait up!" He called, but Kouji did not yield to it. He didn't walk faster either. The brunette caught up and was giving him something similar to the third eye in a way. "What concerns you and the traders?" He asked.

"Why do you want to know? Want to be given to them or something?" Kouji asked, his voice monotonic, and intentionally trying to enrage the brunette. Personally he found that most interesting and particulairly nice to watch his body's movements when angered. The brunette'es eyes narrowed, and his mind was trying to find something to snap back at him with.

"No thanks, what do you take me for? I just want to know what concerns a foreigner like you in this region looking for traders?" The brunette responded to Kouji bitterly.

"A rapists-target. And why does my interest in the traders concern you?" Kouji asked, his voice perfectly unreadable like his blank expression. His words though caused Takuya to turn red, but not as badly as vulture man. Rather his face was a mixture of rising anger and embarrasment. It was such an adorable expression on his face…

"You…! I am not!" Takuya responded to him hotly. "And I merely want to know because we've been getting a lot of foreigners lately looking for missing family the traders took!" He scolded. "You helped me, and I just wanted to help you! But I don't think that'd be a good idea anymore." He continued, eyes ablaze. His eyes didn't hold as much hatred though as they did with the three men, which partly saddened Kouji, and partly made him giddy. Giddy?

"You asked, I gave my honest thought. Would you rather me lie?" Kouji asked, and Takuya's face became priceless, but then was covered by annoyance. "And I thought you didn't need help."

"…! I'm not stupid, it doesn't take a genius to know two men holding you down and third there isn't going to be easy as pie to escape from! You weren't pinned _or_ jumped so it's no surprise you kicked their asses!" The brunette replied hotly, a part of him annoyed at Kouji's answers and questions.

"No, been there, and still did that." Kouji said, as if in thought. This merely annoyed the brunette again to no end, and Kouji found himself loving the predictable flares from this lovely brunette. "And I really doubt your help will be of any actual use to me." He continued. Rather get angry, he noticed brunette's hurt look instead. Kouji wasn't entirely sure how this came about, but it seemed the more he made this boy feel inferior made him feel worse on the inside. He should have known that would happen, but he was too caught up in watching the movements and hearing the angry words from such an animated mortal.

"…fine, you know what, BE that way…" The brunette said, and with a glare, he started to walk slowly past Kouji. Watching him leave, Kouji shook his head and put his hands in his pockets. All the money was gone. Somehow, that damned brunette just pickpocketed him without his noticing. What a crafty little luscious thief… if that brunette kept up like this, he might just find himself kidnapped. Smelling the air for the innocent blood the brunette had, Kouji instantly took off in search for him,

"Where are you, you little son of a bitch?" Kouji growled, mostly to himself. Sniffing around, he eventually came upon and tree and looked up. The brunette had obviously clambered up it knowing Kouji would find his money gone, and instantly rush off to find him. What the brunette didn't know, was that Kouji would find him no matter where he went. Yes, even in water. Going up the tree in a slow, and silent way as to not be noticed, he went up. He saw the brunette looking down at the forest floor, thinking Kouji had gone away. Kouji could hear the pounding of the brunette's heart, beat after beat, and smell a slight scent of prespiration in fear of getting caught. If only he knew Kouji was behind him, how would he act then?

Going more silent than lethal predator, Kouji then jumped him. Thoroughly surprising the brunette who released a gasp as Kouji's took his right arm and wrapped it around the brunette's arm immobolizing them from scratching, grabbing, that sort of thing. While his left hand swirved around to lightly grab one of the brunette's hips merely to hopefully frighten him enough he would stop fidgeting. Almost instantly the brunette really did stop moving, eyes bulging and looking fearfully at Kouji, not wanting today's nightmare continue even more so with someone who had just threw one, scared another, and reduced a third to a ball of tears. He shouldn't worry though, Kouji wouldn't do anything like that to anyone. No matter how alluring they may be. Kidnapping on the other hand, Kouji might accidently find himself doing if this damned boy kept doing things that grabbed so much of his attention, when he himself didn't even know how this boy was doing it!

"Listen very carefully you little thief, I'm not going to hurt you. Settle down, and I'll let you go so long as you give back my money damnit." Kouji whispered into the brunette's ear, and feeling the warm body shiver beneath his words. The brunette had such a warm body, Kouji had almost forgotten how soft and warm living human flesh felt. The brunette nodded his head, and Kouji carefully let him go and when seeing he wouldn't take off, Kouji held his hand out. "Now give it back." Reluctantly, the brunette gave back some of Kouji's money, but not all. Rather than pester him to give it ALL back, he asked. "And what, exactly do you need all that money for?" He sighed.

"They have my brother. And I'm lost."The brunette admitted softly, this catching Kouji a bit off his guard. So not only was this boy lost, he too came into the forest to find the traders. He was pick-pocketing everyone in hopes of buying his brother back. Made sense. Then a question suddenly came to Kouji's mind, and he was unsure as to why.

"…you pick-pocketed those rapists too didn't you?" Kouji asked. The brunette gave a small smile and nodded his head.

"Well, there were two possible outcomes. They take something from me, I take something from them. They take nothing from me, I take something from them." He explained with a shrug.

"That almost sounds like prostitution, if it weren't for the fact you didn't choose what was happening." Kouji sighed and shook his had at this boy's thought process. In a strange way, it made it's own sense. That didn't mean that he was going to approve of this train of thought though."All right, let's say that I'll accept your offer of help. What exactly is it?" Kouji sighed. Takuya gave a large proud grin.

"Well, while wandering aimlessly hoping to find someone to steal from or the traders, I found fellow lost people! They are looking for the traders too, they want either their wives, or their children back. You still haven't told me what business they have with you though." The brunette explained.

"Someone I know lost his son, and I felt it was my obligation to bring him back." Kouji shrugged. "Besides, I heard rumors of a strange creature and it sounds rather interesting. I merely should know if it truly exists or not." He explained further. The brunette's eyes glazed over momentarily then went to normal.

"It exists, but some rumors are exagerrated. It's stronger than any human, but it wouldn't surprise me it some other supernatural being defeated with ease. By the way, I'm Takuya, what's your name?" The brunette asked. Ah, so now the black-haired on knew his name. For whatever reason, it fitted him perfectly, and though part of him wished to say this out loud, he refrained knowing he may not be as trusting of himself as he is now. He either trusted Kouji or was trying to lie to him and steal the money again. He sure didn't have Kouji's trust after the pick-pocketing incident. He could be the intoxicating creature all he wanted, but damnit if Kouji's life was in his hands he'd be petrified.

"It's of no importance, and if you need to call me by something, 'hey you' works." Kouji said brushing away the question. Before Takuya could argue he jumped down from the tree and looked up at Takuya to come down. The brunette gave a look of slight confusion, as Kouji had done something very humans could do. Then it occurred to Kouji that this boy, the one in so short a time captured his attention thought he was a normal human with a life span. It was a nice illusion, but it was not true and by now Kouji he'd have to be careful to keep this belief. Takuya was unpredictable in his own way, and it was the last thing Kouji wanted to scare him away.

"Right. Any ways, most likely if we continue our aimless wandering we'll find them. Uh, by the way… how'd you do that?" Takuya asked shyly, in reference to Kouji's jump.

"Practice from getting stuck in trees too often." Kouji lied easily. Takuya almost laughed, and the smile on his face suited him better than the angered looks. The black-haired vampire was no longer sure what he liked more, this brunette happy or angry. After climbing down, the two set out in search or either the band of traders of the others like themselves seeking their lost ones. Along the way Takuya told Kouji a lot about the area and his family, and very often would try to pry any information out of Kouji. The black-haired one never revealed anything, but rather gave one-word answers that were either lies of half-truths. Such as did he have any siblings; well he used to. After awhile it got through Takuya's stubborn attitude that Kouji wasn't revealing any personal information and everything he was saying Kouji was listening to, but only because he had to.

When Takuya went into a short lapse of silence, Kouji wasn't sure what to do. He enjoyed hearing the sweet tone of Takuya's voice, and hearing everything about him and know all these things. What caused him to become one so easily enflamed, and so utterly interesting in every thing he did. It seemed though Takuya couldn't keep himself quiet, no matter how hard he tried. There was another human being in his mind, and he was tired of being quiet and well… whatever other excuse his mind could come up with, either way the brunette proceeded to talking again like some rambler. Kouji did not mind, he listened to the boy talk, and this went on for hours. Takuya could talk about anything and everything – and he most certainly did without care. What Kouji's personal thoughts were did not bother him in the least bit, and rather loathe him for being inconsiderate Kouji respected him for being such a splendid individual with such a mind!

"…it's amazing! Just think about it, an animal that can replace missing parts!" Takuya said exitedly. He was speaking of how from a fisherman who was forced to retire and go to a less heated enviroment spoke of a thing called a starfish. The starfish would regenerate its missing limbs over a period of time, and Takuya was finding this very interesting. A non-supernatural creature doing such a feat, why would it not amaze him? Really, Kouji found this a very interesting bit of knowledge. Like so many other things, he kept this to himself in the end. After awhile though what Takuya had said Kouji couldn't tell, he was listening to the tones, rise and fall of Takuya's voice, and watching his motions; eyes half-lidded. Suddenly Takuya stopped in his tracks and he stared ahead. Seeing this, Kouji looked ahead and was baffled. There stood a person, but it most certainly was not a mortal human. Kouji's eyes narrowed dangerously, this was another vampire. "And there is your supernatural being." Takuya said darkly.

"That's it?" Kouji asked incrudeously. This one vampire may have been one for perhaps fifty years, really it wasn't that old. Then again, even one a week old could take down a human easily if it knew its powers well enough. Quite understandable, and an especially good reason why Takuya had said any other supernatural being could take him down. The other was looking Takuya up and down carefully, tracing his body lines and every curve he had. Kouji held his own powers inside, unsure if the other knew or not he was another like him. The staring was making Takuya rather uncomfortable, and he made a small step closer to Kouji out of this. The other vampire's lips curved upwards into a horrible smile.

"Ahh.. lovely lovely little human… you would sell well." He said, then nodded his head and looked over at Kouji's cold gaze. He looked the black-haired one up and down, and while he didn't seem quite as satisfied by what he saw with Takuya, he still had that dark smile. "You might sell nicely too… but not as well." He said. With the swiftness of a normal creature he flashed by before Kouji could react properly, and grabbed Takuya throwing him over his shoulder. Instantly the brunette kicked and punched to be let go, not really one to be controlled again in the same day. Didn't he have such luck?

"Put him down." Kouji said calmly. "If you don't want to get hurt." He added on. The vampire laughed at him, not seeing how this was threatening.

"You humans, mortals are so foolish." The vampire laughed. He stopped when Kouji gave him a dark smile flashing the vampiric fangs he too had.

"No, you are one so young… so stupid." Kouji said simply, and before the other could react as he moved with agility he didn't expect just like Kouji, the black-haired vampire elbowed the other. In the process Takuya was knocked out of the vampire's clutches, who was holding his gut. Takuya rubbed his head, and looked over to see Kouji tilting his head at the vampire.

"You know it's rude to intrude on another's territory." The vampire hissed angrily.

"I know. But you intruded on mine long before I entered your forest, and you stole too. It was curious as to why so many humans in the area were found dead." Kouji sighed then shook his head. Reaching over, he grabbed the fearful vampires head, then snapped it to the side breaking it instantly. To say the least Takuya was a bit horrified really, and backed up some. The vampire fell to the ground. "When that heals I would hope you choose more carefully whose territory you intrude on. I've had enough with you foolish young ones, and…" He trailed, then grabbed the hair of the vampire roughly. "Because you really pissed me off messing with things you shouldn't I'm going to rip your little humans limbs from damned limb so they'll see the hell you temporarily escaped." He hissed, then threw the vampire head down into the moist soil. He then looked at Takuya, who wasn't sure if he bothered to run if he'd actually get very far before Kouji caught him.

"I said I won't hurt you, and I don't plan on it." Kouji sighed, waving the silly thoughts away. It didn't help Takuya very much, he was shaking lightly.

"Y… you're a vampire…" Takuya said weakly, as if he didn't really want to believe it. Annoyed, Kouji gestured that yes, he really was. "W… why didn't…" His eyes were getting a little watery, and Kouji found himself really not wanting him to cry. It just didn't suit him in any aspect whatsoever.

"Didn't I tell you?" Kouji asked, and received a nod in response. Kouji turned around to look at the still form of the vampire, making sure he wasn't jumped. "You never asked, you assumed. And why would I carelessly tell every mortal I see what I am? To get burned? No thanks." He explained, and Takuya went into quiet contemplation. His silence was driving Kouji slightly insane, so he looked down at the still motionless vampire.

"…I trusted you." Takuya whispered, obviously hurt by this newly acquired information.

"When a person doesn't give you their name, generally they are giving away hints to not trust them." Kouji sighed. Takuya looked at him, teary-eyed and all with a small bit of hope glimmering that Kouji would just laugh and say 'I'm jokin!' Kouji did not. And Takuya knew he wouldn't, but Kouji knew he was still hoping. Perhaps because Kouji tolerated his endless talks did Takuya see him as someone to trust and the fact he was helping the brunette.

"Hahahahah…" The vampire chuckled. The two then looked at him. "I remember you now… my creator spoke of you, but you're supposed to be DEAD. Hahahah… you survived the damned sun. Kouji, right? My creator said Kouichi had short hair… beyond that and he was nicer and more trusting you two were mirror images. Hahah… supposedly dead, it turns out the vampire Kouji exists, breathes, lives, and feeds maybe. Or I'm hallucinating… imagine that. I intrude on your territory and here you come to eliminate everything I worked so hard on. Hahahah… if I heal before the rising sun and somehow manage to live, think of the tales! Everyone will think mad… but think of it!" More insane laughter from the vampire. He was conscious, but he was raving and immobilized. Takuya looked from him, to Kouji.

"So, that's your name?" Takuya questioned, his voice a bit hoarse, trying to hold down everything he was feeling inside.

"You're mad already." Kouji sighed, and kicked the vampire in the head knocking him out. "And perhaps it is. You can stay here if you like, but I'm going to the traders with or without you." He said as he walked past the saddened form of Takuya. The brunette was less of interest to him in such a way, and to add on to that the vampire was the cause of it. Well, actually it was Kouji's own fault but currently he was too angry to think about it logically. All he knew was somehow he developed an object in which he wanted to direct his affection, but he couldn't, and that because of that stupid vampire it was probably impossible to ever look Takuya directly in the eye again because the other either feared him or hated him for what he was. Again though, Takuya proved to him more unpredictable than he realized. The brunette ran over to catch up with him.

"You think I'm going to let you have my little brother look up to you? Nuh-uh, sorry buddy you are not getting away with that one." Takuya said, walking next to Kouji, who almost smiled. He knew what the brunette was saying though, he was saying he wanted to go with him. Even if it was because the brunette was scared to be alone, he still had Takuya's trust. Or at least enough of it that Takuya would walk with him without any fear inside.

"Who said I was going to help him?" Kouji asked.

"Never said you wouldn't either." Takuya countered. Kouji gave a light chuckle, surprising Takuya, who then got a strange look in his eye. "And here I thought you couldn't laugh…" He said and smiled softly. Then he went back to his ranting about these starfish again, as if nothing had happened. Unbelievable how fast he could recover when he had seemed so hurt. Maybe he wasn't that hurt, more of dealing with too much in one day. A sudden warning went through every vein Kouji possessed and he stopped walking immediately. Takuya turned around to see what caused the black-haired vampire to stop and raised an eyebrow.

"In an hour the sun will rise." Kouji whispered. Takuya looked at him quizzically.

"Didn't you survive in the sun?" Takuya asked.

"No, in all reality that was an unusual occurrence. Some humans had been going by, when they saw me and my brother burning like leaves under a magnifying glass by the suns light. They were very open-hearted humans, and the vampires that had dug deep into the earth before the sun rose were sound asleep and knew not of this. They covered me up first, as I was closest. When they reached my brother he didn't even have ashes left afterwards. From the experience I have SOME resistance, but no matter how much I gain it still burns like the flames from hell, so to speak. Really, I never been there." Kouji said waving it all away. Takuya gave a small smile.

"So you are the Kouji that vampire spoke of." Takuya said slyly. Kouji was startled at first, then it occurred to him what he had just done. He just told someone he recently met more about his life than his most trusted and loyal servants ever knew about him these past few centuries. Curious… Instead of thinking on it, Kouji dismissed what Takuya said.

"Whatever, travel on I'm going to sleep." Kouji said ignoring it, then walked carefully to a large tree, examined it, then began digging furiously.

"You're sleeping in the ground?" Takuya asked, giving him a strange look.

"Do you have a coffin?" Kouji asked, not stopping. Takuya was silent, then he spoke.

"No…" He said softly. "So when will you wake up?" Takuya continued, asking a question this round.

"Technically, I'll wake up in an hour or two, then I just lay there until the sun is completely down. You know when it is because it's instinctive." Kouji explained, and then tilted his head. "I've seen better. Much better, but whatever, it works." He sighed, then crawled into the crudely made hole.

"You are going to have aches later." Takuya said, shaking his head in shame at the sight. Giving him a quick glare, Kouji closed his eyes and slowly the dirt covered over his body almost as if of its own will, surprising Takuya. Soon the earth looked undisturbed and a few moments later, the first rays of the sun leaked inside the forest. Feeling a bit alone, Takuya laid down on the earth next to where Kouji laid. Well, if he was sleeping, why not? Soon the two were in a darkness lacking dreams, a world of nothingness.

Night fell, and Kouji found himself slowly digging out of the crudely made area for him to sleep. Getting out and looking around the darkness, his eyes landed on Takuya's innocent sleeping form. Before he hadn't let his eyes wander, for courtesy, not wanting to alarm Takuya, and because he really didn't care. Though now he found himself following every line, curve… everything that made Takuya what he was on the outside. It felt so wrong to be looking at the brunette like this as he slept, but it was almost as if Kouji's eyes were moving of their own violation. The truth was though, they weren't. Shaking his head to rid himself free of thoughts and silly fantasies, he shook the brunette to wake him up.

"Takuya, get up." Kouji said, and after a moment and a few incoherent words, the brunette got up. Rubbing the sleep out of them Takuya looked around. Then Kouji felt it, the slow feeling that someone was watching you. Takuya must have felt it too, because he was wide awake and looking around with some alarm. Slowly humans formed a circle everywhere around them, knives and swords gleaming in the firelight and the moonlight.

"You killed our vampire." One said, a malevolent smirk on his face.

"Only _another_ could do that…" A second said, with a dark hallow laugh.

"Let's get this new one to do our dirty deeds…" A third.

"But how?" A fourth.

"Easy." A fifth.

"The brunette." A sixth, and on sheer instinct did Kouji find him self moving a bit closer to Takuya, who was on the edge of panic, but luckily he knew well enough not too.

"When he'd next to him?" A seventh.

"No, stupid." An eighth.

"That's suicide." A ninth.

"So how?" A tenth.

"We have what the brunette wants." An eleventh.

"Let's kill him." A twelvth. Takuya and Kouji knew full well who they were talking about, it was Takuya's brother.

"Only if the brunette doesn't come." The first.

"Yes yes…" A thirteenth.

"We'll have our vampire then." The fifth.

"Get him." The ninth. A few disappeared from the circle. What Kouji disliked the most about the situation was the fact that if they tried to escape, he wouldn't put it past them to heartlessly massacre Takuya's brother. He felt the brunette's fear, and he moved a bit closer to Takuya to try and comfort him in some way. It didn't do any more good than adding oil to a fire. It made him start to shake, then he moved closer to Kouji.

"Here he is." The seventh. There stood a small boy with short brown hair and brown eyes, and bruises on his arms and face, dressed in rags.

"Shinya?" Takuya asked in a hoarse whisper. The little boy looked up and saw Takuya.

"Onii-chan?" He asked, then looked at the men around him. "You shouldn't be here! Go home!" Shinya said, a hint of worry in his tone.

"How sentimental. So what do you say brunette? I have an idea, if you can get your brother from me, we'll let you go. And your little vampiric friend can't help, deal?" The first. Shinya gave Takuya a confused look at the reference to Kouji, but the boy didn't pay attention. Shakily Takuya stood up and Kouji for once felt helpless. He couldn't help Takuya, and if he did he'd ruin all chances of helping them. Save Shinya they'd kill Takuya, save Takuya they'd kill Shinya. Damnit brunette, he just had to appear before Kouji didn't he?

"Fine." Takuya said icily, and it took him a moment to steady himself. The man grinned, and waved him to come on. The brunette's eyes looked him up and down, and he slowly walked right up to him, but far away enough that if he was grabbed at he could dodge easily. Takuya held out his right hand, and his eyes narrowed into slits almost. "Fire 3." He said simply, and in a moments time the mind blew instantly into flames, swirling around him. In his screaming terror he threw Shinya away and Takuya caught him before he fell. The light, having been so bright thoroughly frightened Kouji away, he couldn't stand at how bright it was. He flew. It couldn't be helped, while the men that surrounded them fled. As the fire died down, Takuya's body felt very light and weak, and he swayed on his feet. Shinya clung to his brothers legs in fear, seeing the remaining cinders of the man.

"Onii-chan, you shouldn't have done that!" Shinya scowled his older brother. Takuya meekly nodded his head in agreement, everything spinning so quickly. Before he blacked out though he felt a pair of arms catch him as he fell backwards. It was Kouji, but the brunette didn't know this, he only knew darkness now.

"What was that?" Kouji asked calmly.

"I'll answer that after you tell me what you are. I've never in my life seen a human flee so quickly at the sight of fire." Shinya said, glaring at Kouji.

"If you were listening, then you would well know I'm not exactly human." Kouji sighed, and gently placed Takuya's unconscious form on the ground.

"Then what are you?" Shinya sighed.

"A vampire, what the hell else would run from light?" Kouji growled. Shinya was slightly taken aback, then gave Kouji the once-over.

"You can't be, Takuya hates vampires. They killed mom and dad, why would he want to be anywhere near you?" Shinya asked coldly. Kouji blinked, then looked at Shinya with confusion. Was that why Takuya had looked so hurt when he found out what Kouji really was? Because the person he had been traveling with was something he despised so much? And why did he continue afterwards with Kouji? Truly, this brunette was very confusing. For some strange reason Kouji liked him even more now, even as absurd as it seemed.

"How would I know? Now that I answered you question_s_, why don't you answer mine? What was that?" Kouji pressed, not in the mood for twenty questions from some runt. Shinya didn't seem too keen on answering this because he shook his head.

"If he himself didn't tell you, why should I?" Shinya asked Kouji, who glared at him.

"Because he's out cold and along the way he was too busy jabbering about starfish." Kouji sighed. Shinya blinked and then shook his head with a smile.

"He really likes starfish… anyways, that's still no reason!" Shinya growled, then looked around. "We're going. Without you." Shinya declared. Kouji raised his eyebrow at this, then looked around.

"And how exactly are you carrying your brother?" Kouji asked him. Shinya was dumbfounded, and scratched the top of his head.

"Err… minor details! Besides, when he wakes up, he'll be set to go and we'll leave and never see your cursed face again!" Shinya spat. Kouji took this all rather calmly, as humans said such things to him many centuries ago, and a small child saying this made no difference to him.

"And you're positive he'll leave without me?" Kouji asked, and received a nod. "You know, he's proven to be rather unpredictable. When he learned I was a vampire, I thought he either feared me or hated me, and yet for some reason he came along anyways. That was something I had not anticipated." He said, and looked up at the stars in the skies. Shinya scrunched his nose up, then rolled his eyes at Kouji.

"While that much is true, I suppose, I know for a fact he will come with me. And not go with you. He can't be with you, even if you want him too and you can't force him either! He'll burn you like a dried log!" Shinya hissed. Kouji raised a brow at this; he wasn't plotting on kidnapping Takuya. Sure, yesterday kidnapped was exactly what he had wanted to do. Tonight though, was different. Kouji knew that Takuya would always be where he wanted to be, and forcing him to go somewhere he did not want to be was the same as raping him in a way. Beyond all of that, Kouji said no matter what he would never hurt Takuya. Everything Shinya had said was true, that much Kouji would not argue with. Though there was one thing Kouji had to know…

"How do you know if I even want him to come with me?" Kouji asked, giving Shinya a blank and annoyed look. While that made little sense, he did. The boy rolled his eyes as if it was some sort of stupid question.

"Few people bother to tolerate listening for him to talk for that long, and you seemed to have tolerated it to the starfish level. Come on, the only people I've seen do that wanted my brother in one way or another." He said shaking his head. "Of course, he never listens to me and then when bad things happens he wonders why! Luckily nothing too serious has happened, because he either accidently sent them in flame or someone found him before anything could occur." Shinya sighed, shaking his head as if recalling all his brothers little incidents from merely not thinking. Kouji was bit apalled by this information, more or less because when Kouji grabbed Takuya from behind Kouji would have been one very dead vampire… very dead. "Changing your intentions now huh, vampire?" He asked with some supremecy. Right.

"Actually, I'm thinking about when he might've burnt me to less than ashes. Luckily he didn't, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten my money back…" Kouji answered, not bothering to tell Shinya his name. What did it matter anyway? He didn't like the kid, the kid didn't like him… no harm.

"That's the other reason also… a person either wants his body or the money he stole from them." Shinya again shook his head. ((HP: Speaking of which… -Has been revived- Takuya: What? -A giant mount of anime and manga behind him- HP: Oh, I wonder…))

"…and how do you know about this stuff? How old are you? Ten?" Kouji asked him, carefully eyeing the boy in wariness.

"My parents, like any other abnormal child! And so what if I'm ten!" Shinya shot at him. The warning of the oncoming sun, Kouji looked over in the east.

"Nothing, whatever. Bye." Kouji shook his head, then got up as if in a daze and wandered away.

"And where are you going?" Shinya growled.

"Where I belong by your standards." Kouji growled back. Shinya said nothing, but he knew what Kouji had meant. The black-haired vampire was going into the forest floor like a corpse, but unlike one at night he would rise again. Shinya glanced back at his brother's unconscious form and shook his head.

"You know whenever you do that… well you know." Shinya sighed, and ran his fingers through his brother's hair. As luck would have it, a week later after Kouji had retrieved the missing child and a few others from the traders, Takuya was looking for him. The brunette apologized for his brother, and Kouji had the little boy play in the sand while he spoke to Takuya alone.

"Gomen about my brother, he's a little… discriminate sometimes." Takuya said, as if this would improve Kouji's opinion of the little imp. ((Takuya: You bitch… my brother is not an imp! HP: IS TOO! Kouji: This coming from a Shinya/Tomoki supporter? HP: YES! Takuya: …I hate you even more now… -Sweat drops when HP starts bawling-))

"Right… so a vampire killed your parents?" Kouji didn't like to talk about Shinya, and right now he wanted answers and leave forgetting about this place and the brunette. Why dwell on something you couldn't have? Takuya made a small noise, and looked away from Kouji's face for a moment in contemplation, then he looked back, his eyes a bit different.

"Yeah. I think her name was Kairi." Takuya said quietly, then brightened some. "But I wasn't looking everywhere for you to talk about my past! So when are you leaving?" He asked, changing the subject quickly. It was one of those things that was painful to think about, Kouji understood. He was like that with his brother for maybe four hundred years, and even then the subject was somewhat painful.

"Tonight." Kouji said simply. Takuya's bright was gone very quickly, and he tilted his head at Kouji. The other sighed heavily, then glanced over at the boy. The boy was fine, and not even playing the smallest attention to what was happening.

"Why?" Takuya asked, such a simple question and such a hard thing to answer…

"I have reasons. It was nice meeting you though, come on Tomoki." Kouji called out, and the boy looked up at the mention of his name. ((Takuya: Tomoki? Kouji: Tomoki? HP: Hey, the kid needed a name, and well… Kouji you mentioned Shinya/Tomoki… T.T … Takuya & Kouji: " BAKA!)) Tomoki ran over to Kouji, and they started along their way to leaving. Takuya watched, confused and wondering why of all the times Kouji wished to be so enigmatic. The brunette didn't want him to leave, he liked having Kouji around. Sure, the vampire pressed his buttons constantly at first, and then wouldn't tell him anything but… he listened. And he never asked anything of Takuya like everyone else.

"Wait!" Takuya cried out and ran over to Kouji, who turned around and glanced behind to see Takuya standing behind him. Tentively Takuya moved forward and hugged Kouji from behind, startling him.

"Uh… Takuya?" Kouji asked, not entirely sure why this was occurring.

"Don't leave me." Takuya whispered. Whatever it was that was compelling Takuya to refuse to let Kouji go, it was truly a curious thing to them both.

"I got a home to, I can't never go back merely because you'll miss my company." Kouji sighed, and patted Takuya's hand. The brunette shook his head, then held on tighter.

"Can I go with you then?" Takuya asked softly, and this both confused and caught Kouji's attention.

"Why?" Kouji asked.

"You don't ask me to do anything, you don't tell me to shut up…" Takuya gave a small laugh when he said that. "You listen to what I say even though it's nonsense… everyone else who did, in one way or another wanted to hurt me in some way… and you said you never will." Kouji listened carefully to what Takuya had just said, entranced by the fact where his affection laid was asking him to not leave. The warmth of something that lived and breathed and was not harmed by light didn't help in this strange trance the brunette was unknowingly putting Kouji in.

"Those are good reasons… but they are not good enough." Kouji answered, and felt a small shake go through Takuya's body. He didn't want to say that, but he couldn't bring Takuya along merely because the brunette didn't want to not have someone who listened and not hurt him around. Gently, Kouji tried to move the warm arms and entwined hands, but they refused to be moved at all.

"You said you wouldn't hurt me…" Takuya said softly again, and held on tighter. "And yet you're doing that now." He said with an even more gentle voice. Oh, how when Kouji first met him he would merely be annoyed by it…! Now all it did though was make it seem as though Kouji was breaking on the inside.

"What can I do then, to make you not hurt and still leave with just Tomoki?" Kouji asked, and waited for Takuya to respond.

"You can't. You either stay or I go with you." Takuya answered. Kouji sighed and shook his head, before seeing Tomoki play in the sand.

"What about Shinya?" Kouji sighed., and heard a bitter laugh from Takuya.

"He told me you were going away, and when I said you couldn't he got pretty mad at me. He said your kind destroyed our parents, and I told him if your kind did then all of them did. Only one did, and like humans you can't judge an entire species on one individual. That made him so mad he left with a family to the seas. Nothing is keeping me here really." Takuya answered. Kouji was not sure what appalled him more, the fact Shinya abandoned Takuya or of all the possible things that could be done to Takuya without someone there to stop it. Kouji shuddered when he thought about it, and realized his final answer was not what he thought it was in the beginning.

"Fine, come along." Kouji sighed, and he felt Takuya press himself closer to Kouji in his own way of saying thanks. When they had gotten there, it was only a month later when everything had become like a dream…

Takuya had been looking at Kouji in a curious manner for the longest time, when finally Kouji had asked him why. The response was not expected, and Takuya came over and gave Kouji a light kiss. This little this, something some unpredictable had fired something inside Kouji he had been hiding, and the vampire had instantly turn something so innocent into something much deeper. And what he found most amazing was the fact Takuya let him… Kouji asked, and Takuya had consented. It was the mere fact that Takuya would more than willingly let Kouji do as he pleased that made the vampire love the boy all over again. Such an honorous thing to something as horrible as he was. Mind you, Kouji never took advantage of the priviledge the brunette given him. Really, the thought actually hadn't crossed his mind. And it only made Takuya trust him more…

They were having one of their sessions when the slave came in, the first one disrupted, and likely not the last. Kouji looked at Takuya, who was leaned against the black pole that was apart of the darkly-colored canopy bed. The brunette looked thoughtful as he watched Kouji arrange himself so that he was presentable, and then he raised an eyebrow. Takuya came over and wrapped his arms around Kouji's waist and rested his head on Kouji's shoulder. "A week and we have our first interruption. We've doing good huh?" He asked with a grin. Kouji chuckled, and kissed the top of Takuya's head.

"You'd think that, wouldn't you?" Kouji asked with a smile. The brunette gave him a sly smile.

Tender lips

Warm embrace

Loving kiss

Eyes that trace

Endless bliss

Bodies encase.


	13. You Reminded Me

**Written**: 2003? **Rating**: K+ for mentioning of suicide **Notes**:Takuya and Kouji do not end up together in this, but they do express feelings for one another, even if slightly.Neither of them are the culprit of taking their own life - I didn't write a one-shot like that untilover a year later.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon.

* * *

Kouji watched Takuya from afar, not being able to remove his eyes away from the brown-haired boy. No matter what he tried, Kouji couldn't remove his eyes (Nor remove the images from his mind.) from Takuya. Whatever it was about the slightly smaller boy, Kouji couldn't seem to keep his mind off of him for very long. He also couldn't keep the perverted thoughts from coming either. Finally managing to look away from the snoozing Takuya, Kouji looked up at the sky, doing his best to keep himself from thinking things he shouldn't about the goggle-head. Eyes lowering Kouji heaved a heavy sigh of defeat. 'If I know Takuya as well as I think I do, he doesn't feel the same way…' Kouji thought miserably. Yes, Kouji Minamoto, was miserable. He never shown it during the day, when people were around. But at night, no one was there to question him, to ask whats wrong. No one.

"Nnm, Kouji? What are you still up for?" Takuya yawned, stretching as he slowly awoken. Well, almost no one.

"Can't sleep." Kouji replied simply. 'Go back to sleep, please, you look so much more peaceful then…' Kouji silently pleaded. 'Please, go back to sleep…'

"Something wrong?" Takuya asked, getting up and walking over to Kouji. "Hmm? You know you _can_ tell me anything you want." Takuya added, looking Kouji in the eye.

"Nothings wrong. What are you doing awake?" Kouji asked, raising a brow. 'Please go back to sleep…' Kouji pleaded mentally.

"Had the freakiest of dreams…" Takuya sighed, shaking his head. "And I'm not about to go back to that 'Hardees' place…" He shuddered when saying this. Kouji smirked. 'Well, if your not going to sleep, might as well enjoy your presence…' Kouji thought, being happy that he could at least be near Takuya.

"That all?" Kouji asked, tilting his head at Takuya, who smiled at Kouji. 'Damnit, why does he keep interrigating me?' Takuya asked himself. 'Lucky me, I wake up exactly when my crush is awake…--' Stupid internal clock…' Takuya thought angrily. Kouji poked him. "Hello?" Takuya looked at him dumbly.

"Huh?" He asked, then mentally smacked himself. 'Stupid stupid stupid!' He scowled, tossing in a few more mental slaps.

"Uhm…I asked if that was the only thing keeping you up." Kouji sighed. 'Damn it he looks so damn huggable right now. Gah. Must. Resist. Urge. Will. Not. Jump. Takuya. Gah…this happens too often. Stupid Takuya and your stupid adorableness…grr…' Koji thought angrily, trying to resist the never-ending urge to hug the hell out of Takuya.

"Oh, nope, that dream is all." Takuya lied. Actually he couldn't sleep because it was driving him crazy that he couldn't cry, cry because he knew Kouji couldn't care for him in the way he wanted too…

"I see." Kouji replied, eyeing Takuya, not completely believing what the boy was saying. 'I better go before my mind decides to switch to 'hentai mode'…erk, too late…' Kouji thought, and began to get up. Takuya watched him confused.

"Whats wrong?" Takuya asked, confusion written all over his face. 'Damn. Cute. Takuya. Shit shit shit!' Kouji growled, and silently prayed some sort of Digimon would come and interrupt them. 'Damn it, no luck this time.' He thought angrily.

"I got to…go see something, I thought I might've heard someone." Kouji said. 'Oh, so NOW I can lie…when he's half-asleep…' Kouji sighed, and started to walk off.

"Want me to…come with you?" Takuya called as Kouji began his way back.

"Uh…err…no." Kouji stated, and walked a bit faster. 'Just need to stay OUT of his viewpoint, and all will be well.'

"Okay…" Takuya said, and sighed. 'Well, I can dream.' Takuya thought miserably and crawled back into his sleeping spot. 'I was hoping he'd at least want me around…'

"Good job Kouji, you did a wonderful job of acting like a jerk-again." Kouji sighed as he watched the clouds. A cool breeze blew, and he closed his eyes. "Baka…" Kouji sighed again, and slowly opened his eyes. "Takuya." After a few minutes of a clear mind, cold breeze, and rest, Kouji found himself walking back to the campsite. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed Takuya wasn't in the spot where he was sleeping a few moments ago. At first a wave of worry washed through him, but soon Kouji shrugged it off, telling himself Takuya could protect himself. 'Might as well look for him anyways, and just act like I was wondering where he went off to, instead of saying, "I like you Takuya, so when I noticed you were gone, I got very worried and went to look for you.". Yah, much better.' Kouji thought, and slowly walked through the forests, looking around to find the brunette. No luck.

Sighing Kouji leaned against a tree and looked up. 'Where is he?' Kouji wondered. Then, after a few minutes of silence, he heard it. It was undeniabley someone's muffled sobs. Takuya's muffled sobs. Curious, Kouji began to follow the sound. Walkng over, he saw the brown-haired boy holding his knees as 5he cried softly into his arms.

"Takuya…?" Kouji began. Takuya looked up with a tear-stained face and puffy eyes before quickly looking away.

"Uh…hi Kouji…" Takuya said softly, his voice a little scratchy, but not much,

"Are you…okay?" Kouji asked. Why was Takuya crying?

"Yah…just miss my family." Takuya lied. Kouji frowned, that wasn't the reason, he could see right through that fib.

"Don't lie to me, whats wrong?" Kouji asked, walking over to Takuya. "If I can tell you anything, then you can tell me anything." Kouji added, trying to cheer the brunette. Takuya smiled weakly at Kouji's attempt.

"Yah but…there's some things neither of us can tell eachother so…" Takuya replied softly before burying his head in his arms.

"Takuya, if somethings upsetting you, you need to tell me, I can probably help. I've been through a lot." Kouji said, his voice gentle for a change. Takuya didn't seem to notice though, probably still a little asleep.

"You can't help. I know that for a fact." Takuya said so softly, Kouji nearly didn't hear him.

"Come on, have at least a LITTLE more faith in me than that!" Kouji said, his eye then twitched. Being. Nice. Too. Hard. Especially when there's no 'reward' involved. 'GAH! Not now, stupid brain! Another time, right now we need to TRY and be NICE. OO Ah…okay this is going to be a little, err, VERY tricky…'

"I do…but I know you can't help." Takuya sighed, trying to block out Kouji's voice. The black-haired boy was being nice. Bad sign, Takuya was probably irritating him. Kouji didn't say anything, he was letting old memories come into his mind…

**Flashback…-Twilight Zone music-**

Kouji glared daggers at a girl with yellow hair, lime green eyes, and wore a neon yellow shirt with navy blue jeans.

"Come on Kouji tell me why your so moody!" The girl whined, really wanting to know.

"No." Kouji answered sternly.

"But…I can help!" She whimpered.

"No you can't. No one can…" Kouji sighed. No one ever could…

"Well! Have some more faith eh eh?" The girl coaxed, trying to get Kouji to give her the reason.

"No. You can't help, I know this for a fact." Kouji replied, face stern and the glares coming. The girl huffed, and hugged Kouji tightly. "H-huh…?" Kouji stuttered, and looked at the girl. She looked ready to cry.

"Kouji if you don't tell anyone why you're upset that sorrow's going to eat you up alive! Trust me, I've seen it happen time and time again! If you not going to tell me, then at least do me a favor?" She asked, looking into Kouji's eyes, her own brimming with tears and shining, making her eyes look like lemonade.

"Uh…s-sure, okay…" Kouji said, not use to this kind of situation.

"Promise me, that if you ever see someone upset or sad, you'll give them a hug? Hugs make us feel better when we get them…" The girl said, laying her head on Kouji's shoulder.

"Alright…" Kouji agreed. Although it was against what he thought, it was the only way of getting out of telling her.

"Arigatou Kouji-sama…" She sighed then let go. "Have a good day, I hope you tell someone what troubles you and give those hugs! Sayonara!" And the girl left. Four weeks later she commited suicide, and as it turned out she suffered from a deep depression. Kouji understood then why she told him to tell his sorrows and give people hugs. She didn't want him or anyone else to end up like her.

End **flashback…-Digimon evolution theme comes on-**

Kouji took a deep breath. And hugged Takuya. Takuya stiffened, and his eyes bulged.

"Uhm..Kouji? Are you feeling okay in the head?" Takuya asked him. Suddenly worried Kouji might've finally cracked or something.

"Yeah, just keeping a promise." Kouji sighed. "Trust me, this is much more awkward for me than you…"

"Uhm…ooookay then…I won't ask…" Takuya said. Inside he was cheering though. 'Kouji's hugging me! Alright! I'm gonna be high off of this hug for awhile! Woohoo!' Takuya mentally cheered, when Kouji pulled away, he started mentally pouting. 'Phooey.'

"You need to tell someone whats wrong. You could fall into depression, you know that right?" Kouji said. Takuya nodded his head, wondering why Kouji would care.

"Oh…kay…"

A/N: Bwahahahahaha! –Coughs- Okay, didn't get as far as I wanted too, but it's 1 A.M. and a school night, not a very good combo. Especially because I got about 2-3 tests later on today. (Today because its been Monday morning for one-two hours now. Heh…) Well, I wanted to stick something a little angsty in there, so I stuck in a character who commited suicide. –Cries- I hate doing that! Oh, by the way, this fic does have a meaning behind it. First of all, whenever you feel lonely or depressed, or have something on your mind that's putting you down greatly, tell someone please. And when someone you know is feeling low and down, give them a hug. Hugs are the easiest way to show you care, whether your lovers, family, or just friends. Hugs are for everyone, and they make you feel all warm inside. Well, the person getting hugged, every time I give hugs I feel all empty and stuff inside(Its really different). Oh, and remember, if your depressed, talk to someone about it! Another thing to remember, things will always get better! FYI, I wrote this because I had a friend who kept saying she attempted suicide, now I hate saying this but because she keeps saying it over and over again, it may all be an act for attention. X I'm not sure…And for the silliest reasons too. --' Why can't we ALL just get along…? (I'm a pacifist, even if I don't act like one.)


	14. Teh Fuh?

**Notes**: There really is no explaining this.Except this is one giant joke. Call it a parody. More than anything, I absolutely love exploiting the stereotyping of fangirls. Heck, I love exploiting all stereotypes. Not quite sure where I got any of the ideas for this, but it really IS just one giant joke and play-off of how some people perceive fangirls and how they perceive themselves, what I've actually seen people argue over,and some of the WHACK crap that exists in the world. But its the whack crap I like so it's a compliment. Yush.

* * *

**Title**: Teh Fuh? **Rating**: T/M **Written**: July 22, 2005 

Hello there great, and wonderful readers! I am your murder-…err, I am your HOST, the scary and psychopathic Lady Lemonade! Hi, how are you? I haven't updated my other story in a long time, have I? Oh well! Remember, while I won't kill you (the killing is being saved for the school board), I can't guaruntee you won't be mentally scarred, disturbed, or amused! Now then… a long time ago, in a land FAR FAR away there lived two wonderful kingdoms! One was kingdom KouKou, and the other was kingdom Takouji. No one knows why the hell these were kingdoms, but they figured it might be in due part because fangirls are really really fucked up. We'll go into more detail on THAT later! In these two wonderful kingdoms, the people lived side by side in peace.

They didn't mind sharing Kouji in the pairings department, and they frankly didn't give a damn on his protests of how he wasn't gay and wasn't attracted to his brother. Why? Because they knew it was a trick of the deranged JunKou fans and the Kouzumi fans. Everyone knows Kouji's gay. Why else would he be hitting on all the other males in the anime? Silly jerks! Death is for them when they mess with the wrong fangirls! We'll rip their heads off and... ah, sorry about that. Too much psychological fanfiction can have some nasty side affects, no? Back to the story…

Slowly but surely, the Takouji fangirls converted to KouKou, and the amount of members in the Takouji kingdom was dwindling. With fewer readers, there were fewer reviews. And we all know that all healthy writers need a certain amount of reviews or else they'll wittle up like a flower and die right then and there on the spot and no one will ever see them again because they have no drive to write or self-confidence to get a life and they live on outcasted and humiliated. I think I'm on something because saying all this really creeps me out, but here I am smiling! Oh well!

Anyway, the Takouji fangirls shrugged it off and didn't care because in all reality they were getting distracted by other pairings anyways so it was a good thing! Mind you, the KouKou fangirls still secretly indulged themselves in Takouji, but not all of them admit it. Same with the Takouji ones. XD What does this have to do with anything? I have no idea, I just wanted to type it! Wheee!

"Envy! I can't believe you'd do that! And I trusted you with my fruit loops! You… you… you… I can't think of a name horrible enough to describe your wicked deed!" Izumi said, the television flickering off light but no anime was displayed on it. Just a blue screen.

"AHHH! The blue screen of death! Operater error! Now the computers going to crash and die! Thanks a lot Gates!" Takuya spazzed, pointing insanely at the television. Bill Gates let one sad tear roll down his face, before he grabbed his bag and wandered off into Fangirl Exile. Yes… Bill Gates is a fangirl. Little do most people know he really is a woman and is obsessed with yaoi.

"… 'Oh no! Help me Roy! Envy is trying to get into my pants! Eeeek!'" Izumi said, trying to imitate Ed's voice and doing a poor job of it.

"… 'Oh baby, yes oh yeah. You know I want your pants. They are so smexy. If I wear them, I'll get all the fangirls. Baby ohh…'" She continued, now doing a terrible job trying to imitate... Envy… we think…

"… 'I'll save you Ed! And then we'll get married and have children through some deranged way that a fangirl concocted because they had many of their braincells knocked out of their head when they were getting the crud beaten out of them by the other children because they were social outcasts!'" She proceeded on, trying mimic Roy's voice. She then stopped. "HEY! We are not social rejects you jerk! For your information I was popular when I was younger! The only reason I'm a social reject now is because I'm shoujo-ai!" She yelled, now revealing she was playing with FullMetal Alchemist plushies.

"…Izumi…?" Takuya asked, wandering into the room.

" 'Suuuure you were. Reject, reject! Someones a social reject! Hahahah! I bet your parents were on drugs when they had you.'" Roy plushie said mockingly to her.

"No they weren't! I bet your parents tried to flush you down the toilet!" Izumi yelled back.

"Only a Fangirl would make a reference to Kyou Kara Maou!" Roy plushie laughed.

"It wasn't a reference you piece of moobs!" Izumi scowled.

"That the best insult you can give me? Ed can give me worse insults, and he's a midget with no life!" Roy plushie stated.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BANANA SO SMALL PEOPLE ALWAYS SLIP ON IT?" Ed plushie screeched.

"Izumi! …are you making a RoyEd plushie threatre?" Takuya asked, concerned about his friend.

"Yes! Don't talk to me right now, I'm talking to Roy, the Wonder Moob!" Izumi exclaimed.

"What the crap? The Wonder Moob? Now that's just messed up!" Roy plushie said with a roll of his button eyes.

"Izumi! You pedophile!" Takuya gasped. His friend… she would make a pedophile world! With everyone immortal! It was wrong… so… terribly wrong! Yes, that was a reference to Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan. Pipi Piripi piripiri piripi! …that's how it goes, right?

"I am not! Roy is! …and despite the large age difference I find it weirdly cute and attractive… it's like… part of me is saying 'yes', the other 'no', and then the middle part is attempting suicide because it thinks the yes and no parts are utterly insane and it needs a way to escape and that's the only solution… I need to get it a therapist…" Izumi muttered, her voice dazed.

"…Roy plushie, let us revolt against the Izumi creature. It scares me." Ed plushie suggest-…well, actually demanded.

"Yes, my love-slave plushie." Roy plushie agreed.

"…that was wrong." Ed plushie stated.

"It can't be helped. Izumi master is talking for us. See her moving lips? Silly girl thinks we don't notice something that obvious… she makes a crappy ventrilaquist." Roy plushie said.

"That she does…" Ed plushie agreed.

"…you need a life Izumi. And I don't mean as in a girlfriend or anything, because you already got one." Takuya sighedm shaking his head at his friend.

"And you and Kouji need to screw each other senseless while I watch and record!" Izumi said smiling.

"Bite me." Takuya snapped.

"Okay!" Izumi said happily, and pounced on Takuya and began to actually knaw on his head.

"GET OFF MY HEAD! THAT HURTS! YOUR TEETH ARE SINKING IN! GET OFF!" Takuya screamed, running in octangles waving his arms to and fro in panic. Meanwhile the now officially ruined and tainted FMA plushies watched as they attempted to eat popcorn with any inside bodily organs or a mouth.

"NEVA!" Izumi proclaimed. Kouji began to walk upstairs and hearing all the commotion inside the one room, went to open the door but paused hearing what they were saying.

"Izumi! I don't want you on my head! GET OFF! You are not gentle! It does NOT feel good! It HURTS! Digging your teeth in, it NOT a good thing! STOP KNAWING!" Takuya yelled.

"I dun wanna!" Izumi wailed. Kouji stood there frozen in shock. He thought that Izumi was… and that Takuya loved… and that they were just… why was she giving him…? It didn't make sense! No longer being able to handle the situation, he burst into the room and stopped. There, in front of him was Takuya trying to pry Izumi off his head.

"…guess it was a good thing I didn't have a shoujo moment…" Was all Kouji said. Takuya and Izumi didn't get what he meant by that, but then they didn't realize how wrong it must've sounded on Kouji's side of the door.

…Bill Gates is still in Fangirl Exile. So am I apparently… it seems after this fanfiction I'm not allowed near other 'normal' fangirls… Takuya and Kouji? They gave Izumi what she wanted. The FMA plushies? They got sold on eBay by Izumi, she became rich because of it and bought out the series and made shounen-ai centric episodes. Needless to say, many fans were unsatisfied with this change (mainly because supposedly the series is already finished) and she was assassinated.


	15. Double Take I

**Notes**: It was intended to be a two-part kind of thing... the first part (this one) being Yamato/Taichi, and the second part Mimi/Izumi with some Kouji/Takuya flavorings. But alas... I am teh lazy. Got to the second chapter of this, but it was only a page long so I'm not going to upload it. The plot originally was Sora came across this gypsy that offered to turn her into a male (she loved Yamato enough she was willing to get a sex-change... poor child), and it was basically Sora's antics trying to win Yama's affections but unwittingly helping him and Taichi get together faster. Weird, no? But it would have been really fun to write... heh.

* * *

**Title**: Double Take I **Written**: May 26, 2005 **Rating**: T

Handsome, kind, nice, and keeper of the softest hair known to all of humanity, not to mention at times that 'handsome' could slide right on into sexy. Blonde hair that was natural, not bleached or dyed like so many of those wanna-be models you see all the time on the television or magazines. Blue eyes with more depth to them than any of the oceans or even the book with so much symbolism it's impossible to keep track of all it's meanings and representations. Pale skin that was downright perfect, not too light as to be confused with that of the skin of some crazed otaku that would slit someones throat for that special edition of their favorite anime or video game. He wore an even amount of dark and light clothes, but he usually leaned more to wearing the darker shades to compliment his complexion. He not only had a great colour-coordination he also for the most part kept up with the more recent fashion trends. It certainly was a large bonus he was in his own band and could knock even Simon from American Idol off his feet with it. She doubted she ever heard his voice crack, or even off-tune in the entire time she's known him. This guy was every teenage girl's dream date _and_ best male friend.

Who exactly was 'she'? 'She' was none other than nice and friendly Sora, the motherly friend whom you could always turn to. Her brown hair was cut in a short and almost boyish-fashion, and people generally pointed out how in certain lighting her hair would have an orange look to it. Her brown eyes had a warm glow to them, and when no one was looking they might as well have been heart-shaped as she thought upon her deathly-crush. When she was younger she'd normally wear jeans with other such things, but as of late she began to wear more skirts and other 'feminine' outfits. It was little wonder why she had been perceived as a tomboy even now though, for most her friends just happened to be males. Her closest and most trusted friend was Taichi, but her crush was on Yamato, the undiscovered teenage heart-throb. Yeah, the blonde guy that was ranted about in the paragraph above.

Today was a special day, it was the day that would be the start of a beautiful dream that would end only when she died of old age next to her beloved. Walking to the park, Sora smiled brightly to herself as she thought about this special day that was today. Wearing a white spaghetti-strap that had the love kanji on it with a broken heart beneath it in pink, she smoothed out the skirt she had bought specifically for this day. It was a frilled denim skirt, with velvet black spots and carefully placed pink bows. The description sounds ugly, but in all actuality it was beautiful. Her black high-heeled sandals gave her maybe a good two inches on her original height, and she walked with as much grace as she could. She had bribed her friend Mimi to teach her how to walk properly with them on if she tripped some girl named Izumi down the stairway. The girls broken ankle would be worth it! Although Sora did feel horrible about doing that… did the girl _really_ deserve to get a broken ankle just because she accidentally dropped pudding on Mimi's new dress? Although the two girls had been at each other's throats since Sora could remember.

Shaking her head, she removed all the thoughts that resided in her mind that would distract her from this special day. This beautiful, wonderous day! Birds were chirping, the sun was shining, there was a large blotch of gray clouds rolling in from the west – wait. Yelping in alarm, she realized if this was going to be the special day she was going to have to hurry it up, otherwise it'd be completely ruined. Besides, she was wearing mascara for once. It wasn't water-proof, and if water got too close to it then it'd be running all over her face. She shuddered, recalling the horrors of when her mother's mascara ran down her face. It was a terrible, terrible sight. No one deserved to see that, especially her secret crush!

Yes, her crush had to do with this special day. Now whether this meant it was a celebration of them having been friends for whatever amount of years they've known each other, she was going to admit her feelings, he was going to admit his feelings for her, they were having a picnic and she was misunderstanding it as a date, who knew? She did, who else would! Well, maybe that old man snoring on the bench Sora would talk to on occasion might know too. But he wasn't a main character, and it was likely he would never be seen again because everyone referred to him as the 'dirty old man'. Running best as she could in her (Mimi's) high-heels, she took out some red lipstick and lightly put some on. As her teacher, Mimi, explained if she put too much on she would look like a slut. And no one wanted that, because Sora only wanted to be with Yamato. Hurrying up as best she could, she finally reached her desired destination. The soccer field.

It was fairly large, somewhere around four-hundred yards large with grass that was regularly well-taken care of. No, no one knew who took care of the field but they didn't really care so long as they could still play on it. She slowed from her running/jogging, and began to walk in a normal manner while trying to keep balance as she walked. High-heels were such a pain, really! Plopping down on a bench, she took a deep breath and looked at the activity on the field. Teens and pre-teens were playing on it, in this kind of silent war to see who was better. The more experienced and muscled teens, or the swifter and less experienced clumsy (puberty tended to make the teens a bit more awkward in their movements) pre-teens.

A wild-haired brunette currently held the soccer in his feets possession, wearing gray shorts and a blue short-sleeve shirt and his brown eyes were narrowed in concentration on the moving object. That just happened to be Taichi, whom although she trusted him with her life and secrets, she had not told about her crush to just yet. She wanted it to be a surprise to everyone, and so in order for that she had to not tell anyone. Besides, there was a teeny tiny percent of a chance she would be rejected and if she was she refused anyone to know about it. It wasn't a very flattering thing the be known about oneself, getting rejected. Thus, no one would know if she was! Yes, Sora had planned this all out so very carefully! For you see, she knew for a fact that Yamato would be at this soccer field messing with his guitar, because he and Taichi were good friends and did everything together; even if they were doing two very different things. It was done at the same time, and they still managed to talk! It was a friendship she had longed to have with Yamato, and already had with Taichi. Besides, sometimes she wondered if her close friend liked her, and if Taichi knew she liked Yamato… what if it hurt his feelings? She couldn't bear to hurt her best friends feelings!

If she did end up going out with Yamato however, wouldn't his feelings still get hurt? It was a risk she was going to take! Taichi was a good-natured guy (despite his lack of thinking before acting), and he wouldn't get all bent out of shape if she and Yamato went out. He would be happy for them. Although if he did like her, and he was having one of his hothead moments… she again shook the thoughts out of her head. Taichi probably saw her as no more than just a friend, and Yamato… she had no clue if he perceived her as something more than just a friend. There was only one way to find out, and she was going to… today! That was why today was so special! Nodding to herself, she got up again and headed towards where her crush sat tuning his guitar. Ahh… he was so sexy. No, he was handsome. Sexy, no handsome, no sexy, no handsome, no…! Ah, he was attractive! There, solved that problem! What was she here for? Right, staring. Ohhh… droolage… smexy man strumming guitar… yum…

"Sora? You need something?" Yamato asked, looking up from his guitar to see his female friend. She looked normal, except with the make-up, slightly fancy skirt, and the glazed expression. Was today someones birthday?

"Oh, heh heh…" Sora laughed, scratching the back of her head pulling her mind out of fangirl mode. "Uhm… someone told me you had to tell me something?" She began, lying like she never lied before. Make him think, confuse him, and then tell him so that he'd be dazed and she could dash off! While running off in a overly-dramatic fashion, he would chase after her and pull her into his arms and say in an alarmingly sexy voice, 'aishiteru' and they'd live happily ever after! Yes! Perfect plan! As you can all see, her general sane way of thinking was kicked to the side to be replaced by the insanity of fangirlism and teenage hormones.

"They did? …weird… I was going to ask someone to get you after practice with the other guys…" Yamato murmured to himself. Sora almost died; did this mean he was going to tell her he had the same feelings the same day she chose! It was meant to be; they were soulmates! Destined to be, to rock each other's world! The poor misguided girl…

"Oh, eheh… you must've told them and forgot." Sora said, laughing lightly. It was a miracle she was able to hold herself back from glomping him and loving him and making out with him. 'Mmmm… making out with Yamato… no! Must… concentrate… he's talking!' Her mind yelled.

"…so could you meet me after practice?" Yamato finished his sentence, although Sora did not hear the first half of it.

"Uh… nani? Could you repeat that please? Sorry, just these heels are bothering. You know Mimi… eheh… she likes to make me try new things!" Sora explained, laughing nervously.

"Sure. If you want you could wear my shoes on your way home… you look really uncomfortable." Yamato said, motioning at his black sneakers. He was wearing a green shirt with regular jeans, the type of clothes one would wear if they went outside to play and planned on getting dirty. "Anyway, I said I had something I really need to tell you because… you're one of my closest friends. I trust you more than anyone else, and it's something I just need to talk about so could you meet me after practice?" He repeated, the same question shedding more light on the situation.

"You'd do that for me? Oh, thank you Yamato!" Sora squealed. "It'd be no problem meeting you. I have to return your shoes after all, you know?" She said, nodding at him. He flashed her a smile, and she tried to quell the blush. Was he going to admit his feelings? The 'closest friends' thing caused that to make no sense, but he could have been using it as a cover-up. But what if something bad was happening in his family again? She had to be there for him, and ignore her feelings! …that'd be hard. But she'd do it for him!

"Great." Yamato replied, untying his shoes and handing them to her. She took off her high-heels and put them on the ground as she put the sneakers on. Heaven! Those high-heels were satan-spawns! She made a mental-note to kill Mimi if the other girl ever suggested she wear them again. Looking at the empty spot the high-heels once were, she blinked confused and then glanced up seeing Yamato put them on. What the hell?

"Uhm… why are you…?" She began to ask.

"I need something to wear on my feet you know." Yamato answered, laughing at her confused expression. He stood up in them, and walked around a bit before shaking his head. "Your feet are smaller than mine… good thing they're more like sandals then, ne?" He asked her.

"…where'd you learn to wear high-heels?" Sora asked, giving him a blank look. She was shocked beyond all feeling right now, so her expressions weren't really available because her brain went off to relocate those feelings that the shock knocked away.

"You know Mimi, always making people try new things." Yamato stated with a roll of his eyes. Sora smiled, her brain having found the feelings. He was such a sweet guy!

"See you later, and I'll wear my own sneakers tonight okay?" Sora said, waving as she skipped off. Yamato smiled back at her and waved. Oh, today was such an awesome day! Sora hummed to herself as she skipped along, thinking that by tonight her world would be perfect. Ah, poor misguided girl.

Humming 'Love and Joy' by Kimura Yuki, Sora brushed through her short hair dreamily. Tonight was the night, she just knew it! Her excitement was overwhelming, her hopes were soaring, her dinner was burning…! HER DINNER WAS BURNING! Yelping, she dashed downstairs and stared in horror at the flames blazing on her stove. Looking around wildly, she looked at the faucet. She and her mother had an electric stove, that'd be a very bad idea! She was terrified that if she used a towel it would catch on fire, and then all of Hades would break loose! Her mind then performed an extraordinary three-second miracle of recalling her experiences in Home Economics. Grabbing the baking soda, she drowned the flames with the deodorizer's almightiness. Sighing with relief, she then groaned when seeing the ruined food along with the mess on the stove. If she stopped and cleaned this she would make poor Yamato wait! No, must keep positive attitute! Remember Sora, you are the one who will open the door to the light! …wrong Sora! Remember Sora, the cup is half full, not half empty!

Taking a deep breath, she worked fast and cleaned up the mess while somehow managing to not ruin her outfit she was wearing earlier. She had to look spiffy for Yamato! After the mess was fixed, she knew exactly how to fix the lack of dinner for her mother. Grabbing some pizza pockets, she tossed them all on a plate and stuffed them into the microwave and set the time. Four minutes later she placed them on a pan, threw the plate away, grabbed one to eat and took off. Before exiting out the door she grabbed Yamato's sneakers, slipped on her own, nabbed her house key and went outside. Twirling around, she quickly locked the door and tore off down the sidewalk. All those years of soccer and these current months of tennis were seriously worth it now!

Smiling widely, she couldn't wait to see her precious Yamato! Tonight they would become boyfriend and girlfriend, in five years they'd probably get married, in ten years they'd most likely have their first kid, and everything from there would come with its own ups and downs that they could easily get through! Why would they probably get married in five years though? For then they'd be twenty-one, and old enough to get drunk and thus accidentally get married like you see all the time in those movies involving Las Vegas you could get imported from America. Sure, that country had pretty good movies and such… but if it was anything like the movies, she'd absolutely hate to live there! The crime, the idiots, the corruption… oh, it looked dreadful! Though the men there seemed really hard core… and all the blondes weirdly stupid. That was strange, because Yamato was a blonde and he was intelligent, just like his younger brother. It must have just been an American thing then.

Walking up to the Ishida residence, Sora took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure after all the running (not to mention return to her regular breathing rate). Once that was done, she walked up to the front door and lightly knocked. Some tumbling was heard, along with a yelp and a cat yowling in pain. Raising a brow, she waited for her friend to answer the door to figure out just exactly what he wanted to tell her and if it had anything to do with cats rather than their relationship. After a moment there was Yamato answering the door, grinning somewhat lopsidedly in apology and a pink apron on. Why did he wear a pink apron again? …he was a metrosexual. She knew it! That was probably what he had to tell her. No big surprise, any male who was friends with Mimi would probably eventually become a metrosexual because she was just… Mimi. Besides, Yamato had always been a rather well-hygiened individual with good common sense. Why was she worrying about this now? She never worried about it before.

Wait. She wasn't worrying. Why did she think she was worrying? She was nervous. That was it; there was no other explanation for this at all. She was nervous, and so she was beginning to notice every single little detail and the insecure part of her brain would turn it into something that it wasn't. She was looking too deeply into things, and so she had to stop and concentrate on something else. Yamato. Yum… yes, she could concentrate very well on him. 'No, must not become some simple-minded girl!' Sora's mind scowled at her, and she immediately began to think of Taichi. Yes, that's it just think of your best friend. Wait, she still needed to smack him upside the head for that time when they were little kids and he threw up in her hat and didn't tell her before she put it on. That jerk!

"Sorry, I was cooking dinner." Yamato explained, leading her into the kitchen. "I was making some Domburi and some Chazuke. Want any?" He asked, looking at her as he placed the final product of his cooking on the table. She immediately felt her mouth water at the sight, and had she not been an experienced human being in restraining herself from drooling in her crushes presence… she would have well, drooled.

"I'd love to have some." Sora answered politely, giving him a warm smile.

"Great, I cooked extra for you." He stated, laughing as he got some empty plates for them to place their food on.

"So… what was it you needed to tell me?" She began shyly, looking up at him with a sweet friendly smile. 'Yes! Tell me you love me, and I'll say I love you too and we can make out! Nyahah!' Went the fangirl part of her brain. He physically stiffened, and placed both his and her chopsticks down on the table. Taking a deep breath, he looked at her with a sigh.

"We can't have a pleasant conversation before I tell you?" Yamato asked, a troubled expression on his face. Sora hesitated, and sighed. As much as she wanted to hear him admit his true feelings (she's still rather misguided), she wanted to make him happy and comfortable more.

"Sure, don't see why not." She said, giving him a reassuring smile. He smiled back, and sat down. They talked about school as they ate, despite the fact anything having to do with school generally wasn't a pleasant thing. They would laugh together as they talked about the adventures between Daisuke and Taichi, and reminence back to the days when Mimi was just a spoiled little girl, rather than a sincere but still obsessed with killing her 'rival' Izumi teenager. Ah, how things change over time. And the good times, yes the good times… yeah. Those were the times.

"Here, I'll get the plate for you." Yamato said, picking up the now empty plates and placing them in the sink. Sora tilted her head in thought about what he was going to tell her… it must have been something either embarrassing, secret, or bad. She hoped it was just something secret, because bad things sucked, and she never wished for Yamato to be embarrassed.

"So… we going to watch television now?" Sora asked, wanting the blonde male to tell her whatever it was he wanted to tell when he was ready.

"I'm gay." Yamato said suddenly. Sora stared.


	16. Puppy Love switches POV

**Initial Summary**: Koukuya; AU. Takuya complains to his parents how lonely he is. Poor Taku. Feel sorry for him. Anyway, so his parents decide to get him a two-and-a-half year old dog. He names it Kouji after that one kid from Kodomo no Omacha (Kodocha). Because it's troublesome. Actually, it's a really boring dog but still... he has to take care of it. Troublesome! He goes to bed, and then in the morning... he wakes up to this sexy man-beast and kicks said sexy man-beast out of his bed. The guy is the same age as him, and responds to the name 'Kouji'. Hmm... somehow, Takuya's pet dog managed to turn himself into a human. Awkward.  
**Notes:** This isn't an actual chapter. It has half of the first chapter, and the rest is simply bits and pieces I wrote in school. Err, yeah. And no. I'm not finishing this. Willingly. O.o

* * *

**Title: **Puppy Love **Written: **August 3, 2005 **Rating: **M

Spiders. That's right. Spiders. The most repulsive of the entire insect world… even though technically they aren't insects, they're arachnids. But they're still repulsive. I don't mean they're repulsive because they suck the insides out of the annoying little buggers known as cockroaches, or mosquitoes. That's actually pretty cool. They aren't repulsive either because of those big, long legs or even the hair that at times covers their entire body and makes them look like some sort of deformed caterpillar. Hell, the eight eyes don't even bother me all that much! You see, what the most repulsive thing about those guys, is a little known fact about them: They're the biggest perverts. Ever.

For the past four days, I keep finding these baby spiders, and am forced to kill them. Normally I don't mind spiders, but it's because of their mom that I am forced too. Their mom was this huge gal, a big and hairy momma. Not a black widow, or a tarantula… just a big ass spider. Not as big as the ones in the Amazon though, still big however. After I killed the momma, her little children started appearing. Thankfully not out of her when she was squished, that is… not pretty. It's like watching a woman give birth to thousand of little tiny baby things in an explosion of gooey stuff. It's sick, wrong, and absolutely disgusting. But not as disgusting as these damn perverted spiders.

Now, you're probably wondering why it's such a big deal to be finding her baby spiders, other than the obvious that having a thousand giant spiders running amok isn't anyone's ideal environment. It's because I keep finding them in the bathroom. The shower of the bathroom, and the small crack between the wall and the floor in front of the toilet. I'm sorry. I just can't stand the fact that while I'm showering, there are these little tiny spiders, having all eight of their damn eyes on me. Especially when I'm naked. Nor the fact that while I'm taking a piss, that have to watch me. That goes against nature. Those sick little freaks.

Enough about the perverted spiders though. It's making me paranoid that if when they grow up and get gigantic like their mom they might try to rape me or something. Creepy. Alarming. I'm going to stare at the wall now, and hope to some deranged entity that those spiders will be smited. And then I hear my mom cackling madly and screaming, "Die you bastards!" …and thus, I know they have been smited. Thank you great deity, known as my mother. I shall forever worship you, by abiding by whatever commandments you send forth! "Takuya! Are you doing your homework?" She suddenly calls, her fun in killing the demonic hell perverts interrupted by her motherly instinct. I'll dub the 'motherly instinct' as a demon trying to possess my great deity. And just ignore the fact I didn't do my homework, nor even considered working on it and lie. Works out well enough.

"Yes ma'am!" I reply. Hahah… damn perverted spiders. You're dead. Seriously though, enough about the spiders. They're dead now, no reason to think about them. Instead, let's think about my friends. Well, there's Orimoto Izumi. A blonde girl I met on the first day of school about two weeks ago. She's fun, and great to hang out with… hell, after two weeks she became my best friend. Then there's Shibayama Junpei, another fairly good friend of mine. He's been kind of down lately though, and it really worries us a lot. I've known him… most my life, so we're fairly good old friends, but not as close as we once were. Finally there's little Himi Tomoki, a good friend of my younger brother, Shinya. I don't really know much about him, other than he likes video games and comes over often. Then there's me. Yes, I'm my own friend and if you have a problem with it go screw yourself by cutting off your own limbs and drowning in an ocean. See if I care.

Actually, I do care so don't do that. I'm one of those types of people that have a quick temper, but once I cool down I regret most anything and everything I said while under the influence of the raging desire to slit someone's throat. It can't be helped, I have anger issues. Big deal. I'm getting better, I swear! So yeah, you could say I'm a caring person and you won't believe this buuuut… I'm a guy who shows my emotions! Holy crap, the world is going to self-implode! Who cares? Not me. All I want is just someone to be able to call in the middle of the night and be reassured that my mother isn't going to commit suicide because she accidentally left her door locked one night. Or maybe someone who won't care that I just snapped their wrist because a scary movie freaked the shit out of me. Of course… that may be a good thing there isn't someone who won't care on that last one.

* * *

"Takuya? Oh sweety, what's wrong?" My mom asked, worry apparent in her voice. 

"…this computer is gay." I answer, looking at the screen. Why did it just skip like… ten lines?

"So are you, but what's wrong?" My mother is so sweet. I'm not going to look too deeply into her comment.

"Mom. My best friend is a girl, who if I didn't know any better… she might be a lesbian." I said, taking a deep breath to add on to the 'shocking' thought.

"Do you like her?" My mom asked me, squatting down next to me. "Oh, and I killed the perverted spiders in the bathroom." She added. Yes. She agreed with me on the perverted spiders theory, so you can't call me crazy!

"No. But if she's a lesbian, she won't love me." I explain, falling out of my chair in an overly dramatic fashion. To be honest, I can't figure what I'm going on about but it's fun so… yeah. "You smited them?"

"I smited their asses so bad they won't consider touching yours in fear of other parts being smited." My mom explained proudly. I love my mom, she's so screwy in the head it's almost beautiful. "I'm sure she'll love you no matter what, even if you are straight." My mother said encouragingly. That's why I didn't bother to look too deeply into her earlier comment.

"Thanks mom." I said, referring to both her comments. Although I didn't correct her when she said straight. See, I'm gay but she doesn't know that. In fact, no one knew that. Why, I didn't even know I was until I just thought that. Holy shit, I'm gay? Well… it explains a lot of things so I won't freak out.

"Good. Wait. Are you afraid she'll get a girlfriend?" She asked.

"Yeah. Most the girls at our school seemto be bi or gay…" I commented. It was true. Sixty percent of the time when you walk down the hallway you could see a girl making out with another girl. It was a lesbian paradise I tell you! Not that I mind. Heheh. Then there was the eighty percent of the time you caught a guy and a girl making out… and then finally forty percent of the time you caught two guys snogging. We had a rather interesting school.

"Well… what about Junpei? Or your other friends?" My mom asked me, concerned about my 'worries' as to if I'll be all alone with no one to lurve me.

"Junpei seems… distracted. And my other friends have a 'special' friend they spend all their time with." I explained, not trying to give away that I thought Junpei was depressed.

"You know, I hate people like that." My mother grumbled, and got up. "They have that one friend they spend all their time with… and barely any with their other friends! The worst part is, they aren't even going out…" She went on, raving as she left my room. Well… I wasn't talking about that kind of friendship, but whatever. Ah. I hate being a teenager. What, with all these deranged emotions, hormones, thoughts, and finally… the awareness. Couldn't you just remain a relatively stupid kid for the rest of your life? Like when you're little, and you go to Tokyo Disneyland you're all amazed by EVERYTHING. It's beautiful. You yank on your parents arms, and don't even realize how close you are to pulling said arm out of your parents shoulder socket because you caught them by surprise. You start raving things such as 'OMG! We have to go on that! And that! And that! And that! And that! Oh, buy me THAT! That is GOOD!' and you parents just suffer through it all. And you're too young to feel guilty about being a brat, too. Then there are the children who see these giant crowds, and faint on the spot and their parents need to rush them to paramedics because well… parents spazz out over little children. Finally, when the fainted child wakes up they start crying because there's these freaky people surrounding them.

All the while, there is no guilt. You feel bad after your parents scold you though, but there's no guilt. Due to your childhood innocence, naivety, and most of all the beautiful ignorance… you never take notice of your actions. Thinking about it now though just… makes me feel bad. I should make a card apologizing to my parents for being a bratty child, even though as a child it was my duty. My poor parents. They had to suffer through soccer games, which I recently learned, are not half as fun to watch as they are to play. Why? Got kicked off the team because of some jerk. Stupid jerk… oh, how he'll pay one day for that!

* * *

"Takuya-sama, why are you crying?" His dog, err… Kouji, asked in his blank tone How monotone. Perhaps he hasn't quite gotten the hang of human-speech? 

"…my dog turned into a sexy man-beast. What the hell?" The brunette whined, lying on his back while on his bed.

"…that's no reason to cry," Kouji-gone-human pointed out in his still blank voice. His brain that was still doggish decided something. "…I'll cheer you up." And with a nod, he did what all dogs do to cheer up their owners. Of course, humans don't do this to cheer each other up. It'll lead to awkward situations like what you're about to witness. Kouji-gone-human hopped over and began to use his tongue to lap up Takuya's tears, who needless to say was quite startled and a bit disturbed.

"Gah! BAD DOG! Stop licking my face!" Takuya squeaked, blushing madly from the other who was on top of him trying to perform his dog duty (but he was a human, so therefore his job wasn't really his) of cheering up his master. The ensuing struggle led to a great deal of shifting around on the bed, and the awkward moment continued. And got worse. "Ack! No! Stop! GET OFF!" The brunette wailed, wanting the… dog… turned human off. Now. See, his problem was this. There was lots of movement, a very attractive guy was licking him, and most teenage boys have this problem with their hormones. If one doesn't already see where this is going, you are very innocent and we shall spare you the details of what just happened. But what will happen next may very well just ruin our desperate attempt to spare you.

"…" For a moment, the dog-gone-human stopped and sniffed. And blinked at the brunette, who finally managed to push him off and sulk in his bed. "…Takuya-sama, I thought you were a boy. Why didn't you tell me you were a female in heat? I can help. It's my job to help my master and the bitches." See now, Kouji just had a hint of happiness in his voice. This kind of prideful thing. Dogs have pride you know. Even this monotone one that is putting Takuya in an even more awkward situation.

"NO! NO! Off the bed!" The brunette yipped, and well… knocked Kouji out of the bed (before he only pushed Kouji off of him). "I'm not a bitch, and never say that about me again!" Takuya ordered, face redder than his pajamas.

"…okay…" Kouji gave him a confused human look that somehow appeared slightly doggish. Doggish. Heehee. Funny word. Yeah. "…still smells like you're in heat." His face resumed it's blank slate look.

"…get out of my room." Takuya hissed.

* * *

"Whose he?" Izumi asked, tilting her head at Kouji. That Takuya had been forced to bring with him to school, in due part he had to lie to his parents that 'Kouji' was also the name of his friend. That he named his dog after. And stamped down on said 'dog's foot every time Kouji tried to correct him. 

"Uh…" Takuya tried to think of a good reply. How did one explain the sexy man-beast walking next to you was actually your dog turned into a human? There was no explaining it, exactly. Thankfully, said man-beast answered for him.

"I'm his dog." Came Kouji's ever empty yet helpful words. 'Must be American…' The blonde girl thought to herself.

"Oh… kay… his friend. Gotcha." Izumi nodded.

"No, his dog. But his best friend as well." Dog's were man's best friend you know. Kouji knew this. Did you? Kouji would hope you knew this. Don't listen to cats, says Kouji. Kouji says cats are bad. Unless Takuya says cats are good. Then Kouji will say cats are good as well.

"He might be your best friend but," Izumi started, but she was interrupted. Poor Izumi!

"No, he's my bitch." Kouji, err… 'corrected' her. Well, in his mind. This wasn't really true anywhere else but there.

"Wh-wha?" Izumi tried to find something else to say, but that stuttered word was all she could come up with.

"KOUJI!" Takuya yelled, and was about to throttle his 'dog.' How many times did he tell Kouji to NOT call him that?

"Fine, he's my master." Kouji sighed, obviously not appreciating the reminder this was how it was.

"TAKUYA!" Junpei gasped, unable to comprehend his friend was… into… that…

"Wow Taku-kun, didn't know you were into bondage…" Izumi mumbled, voicing up what Junpei was JUST thinking. Are they mentally-bonded or something?

"I'm not…" Takuya whined, sulking once more. This was not his day. Was this karma? …why wouldn't karma run over his dogma? His dogma was the source of his karma, that's why.

"Takuya-sama, you're crying again. Good thing I know how to cheer you up!" Kouji seemed awfully happy about this. A bit too happy perhaps? He pounced on a very alarmed and scared Takuya, before proceeding to licking his face again.

"Ack! No! Down boy!" Takuya yelped, trying to escape the possible reaccuring awkward situation.

"…wow…" Junpei stared.

"They're just… going at it. Right in front of us." Izumi commented, nodding with dot eyes.

"NOOOOO!" Takuya wailed, flailing about like a fish. Flop flop flop…

"…cool." Izumi nodded. Everyone stared at her. Yes. Even Kouji. But only because her comment made him cease all movement, and he wanted to make sure it wasn't due to a possible threat.

* * *

The guy snickered at my question. Yeah, so what? Who cares if it was a stupid question. To further my point, I gave the guy a nice bird in reply. 

"Kanbara!" Yamaki-sensei snapped.

"What? I asked curiously.

"What was the meaning of that?" He growled.

"The guy laughed at me, and I'm a firm believer of, 'do unto others as you'll have them do unto you.'" I replied curtly.

"So you want him to treat you like a prostitute?" Yamaki-sensei asked, narrowing his eyes.

"No, he wants people to treat him rudely. I know this from how he treated me, an other to him. Thus, out of the kindness in my heart I treated him rudely like he asked with his actions." I explained to my teacher.

"Go to the Deans Office. Now." He sighed. 'Me and my big mouth…' I thought miserably. Sighing, I stood up before realizing something. Kouji was going to follow me there. 'Think brain, think!' As I slowly walked out the door, lo and behold Kouji was getting up too. Loyal dog. Loyal EVIL dog. That's very sexy as a human. But that's not the point. EVIL! Before I could say, 'stop', our teacher spoke. "Kouji, what are you doing?" He asked. Kouji was about to respond, but I cut in.

"He's a transfer student." I gave a shifty look, trying to make sure there was no mind-reader nearby. "…but his info hasn't gotten here yet, so he's hanging with me today." I explained with rushed words. The teacher gave me a cross look. "…he's from America… you see his blue eyes! His parents were divorced, and his father got to keep him. And uh… he died in a wreck and Kouji came to his mother here in Japan. His Japanese sucks so uhm… yeah." Wow, my excuse sucked.

"I didn't realize you were fluent in English." Yamaki-sensei said, eyeing me with distrust.

"Sí?" I asked unsurely.

"That's Spanish." Yamaki-sensei corrected.

"Hai? I know… I'm learning that too." I lied. Again.

"Very well…" Yamaki-sensei sighed, and then I motioned Kouji (the evil dog trapped in a sexy human body) over. He got up and followed. Now I needed to update Kouji on our story, learn English ASAP, and teach him English as well as more human mannerisms. Oh, the trouble I got us in…

* * *

There were lots of things about my friend Izumi the whole world already knew about One of the things were that she was obsessed with dairy products, and the only reason she didn't suffer from high cholesterol or getting ridiculously fat was because other than dairy products all she ate were fruits and vegetables. Her life-long dream was to become a full-fledged vegetarian, without giving up her precious dairy products. Which was perfectly okay, because it wasn't like she was trying to become a vegan. Another thing a lot of people already knew about was that she really did miss eating some sort of meat, and when someone offered it to her she would shout, "Think of Totoro!" No one is entirely sure, however, why she would ever suggest people would fry up Totoro and serve him with other animals. Today at lunch, as my new 'friend' Kouji ate his yakitori ravenously, Izumi watched him with intent and curious blue eyes. Her salad soon felt alarmingly lonesome, as her hand reached out and yanked a piece off of Kouji's unsuspecting skewed chicken. 

As she popped the bit into her mouth, I kicked Kouji's leg beneath the table before he could have time to snarl and have a dog hissy fit about someone nabbing his lunch. A pained yelp came out rather than an angry growl, and there I sat watching him with a satisfied smirk as Izumi squealed having some meat after about three years of none. Junpei raised a quizzical brow at Kouji's sudden outburst, and once Izumi returned to this planet she gave him a confused expression as well. Considering I was the cause of all this (unless you want to include that Kouji had to follow me to school, then we'll blame it on him), it only made sense I would explain what my two friends were confused on. "Me and Kouji were playing footsie." Came the believable, but actual white lie. We were not playing footsie, and it was doubtful that Kouji could quite understand the concept of two peoples feet playing around with each other as an act of flirting. However, explaining that Kouji was actually my pet dog that my wonderful parents got me had randomly turned into a human was out of the question. Besides, Izumi already thought I was with him, so what the hell? Pacify her for a while until HER dog turns into a human. Then we can talk.

"A rather violent game of footsie…" Junpei muttered under his breath. Laughing nervously, I roughly jabbed Kouji in the side to signal he should laugh too so it would appear normal. Instead he ended up choking on a piece of the grilled chicken that was in his mouth. Patting him on the back, it took a moment before he could breathe again. That worked out… sort of. I was so rough on the poor… dog… human… guy… you get the idea. But he was evil, so he deserved it.

"Why do you want to be a vegetarian anyway?" Junpei asked out of the blue, and then glanced over to look at the blonde. She blinked at him, and took a deep breath before deciding to tell him.

"Guys… there's something you need to know about me…" She began.

"You're a lesbian?" Junpei and I asked at the exact same time. She blinked. Another blink. Soon her face turned to a scowl, and she turned her back on us.

"Oh sure, take all the fun out of it! You could have at least humored me into thinking I hid it well!" She sulked, nose in the air and arms crossed.

"Fine…" Junpei sighed. Kouji looked a bit on the confused side, but shrugged it off and resumed eating. I'll explain it to him later…

"How about this, you try it again." I suggest. Smiling broadly, she nods quickly in feverish agreement.

"Guys… there's something you need to know about me…" Izumi began, hesitantly and her face furrowed in seriousness.

"Oh. My. Kami-sama. You're pregnant!" Junpei gasped. Blushing, she shook her head 'no'.

"It's not that… but…" She continued.

"What? You know you can tell us anything…" I said assuringly. We really should join Drama Club, we're marvelous actors being able to do all this with a straight face.

"Watashi-wa… watashi-wa rezu!" She admitted, and covered her face with her hands as if in shame. Both Junpei and I gasped in shock, and sat there quiet for a moment. Kouji did not participate in this activity. But he did just steal some of my takoyaki. Jerk.

"Well… we'll still love you as our friend." I said to her in a gentle voice, and peeled her hand away from her face. Her eyes shimmered, and then she slapped us both.

"You guys could have acted like that the first time!" Izumi huffed. Oh no. Now the insults came. "Oi! Tansho!" She accused, pointing a finger at me. What? How dare she!

"Baita!" Came my clever comeback. Oh, I'm so very original…

"Ochisuite! Both of you!" Junpei ordered, and immediately Izumi and I settled. We still glared at one another however. "Izu-chan, what does this confession have to do with your being a vegetarian?" He asked her politely. Giving me one final glare, she turned to smile at Junpei in a friendly manner.

"I want to be, a true yuri." Izumi announced.

"…you want to be a true… lily…? Beg your pardon?" I asked confused, and immediately received a whap to the head from Izumi. Kouji was ready to growl at her for the attack, but I again kicked his leg, stopping him. I wonder… if I continue to kick him like this, would it be counted as animal abuse or physical assault?

"No, a true girl love." Izumi explained. Junpei and I 'oohh'ed.

"So you want to be a true lesbian in other words?" I asked.

"…yes." She said.

"You know, a lot of dykes eat a ton of meat." Junpei offered, and then got smacked by Izumi as well.

"I'd appreciate if you don't use that term. The American idiots referred to us as 'embankments of dirt used to stop floods'. Anyway… I don't believe in butchering animals." Izumi explained.

"You mean being a butch…" I muttered, and this time it was my turn to get kicked beneath the table. Only this time it was by Izumi, who just so happened to wear her demonic steel-tipped boots today. Clutching my shin in pain, it occurred to me that I did deserve that. No, wait. Didn't that just count to straight people? No, that can't be right. Okay. I'm gay, and my friend is a lesbian, thus I should be permitted to use those terms in a friendly manner without this type of abuse. However, she does not know that. Wait. She thinks that. No, she knows that but it's because she thinks I'm with my dog, whom she thinks is an actual human male. Wait, even if she didn't know she should still be allowed to considering I'm her friend and she knows I intend her no harm. Argh. Women. Gay, straight, or bi they're still the biggest pains in my… hold it, I can't say that considering where my future intimate life may lead to. I cringe. They all think it's because Izumi kicked me, but the real reason is an entirely different and much better one.


End file.
